What are 'barbiturates'?

What are 'barbiturates'?

Samuel Seelig (Anesthesiologist, Los Angeles, California) gives expert video advice on: What is an 'anesthesiologist'?; What happens immediately after surgery? and more...

The barbiturates are classified as sedative-hypnotic drugs, and in the past were used for induction of anaesthesia. The barbiturates of the past were great for inducing anaesthesia, but they did not have analgesic, or pain-protective properties. The old barbiturates of Secobarbitol, Pentothal, Gravital, have been supplanted by a new medication called Propofol which has the same properties as barbiturates, but does also have analgesic properties. That is now the major medication that is used to induce anaesthesia.