Butalbital
Pronunciation:byoo-TAL-bi-tall
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number:77-26-9
Formal Names:Esgic, Fioricet, Fiorinal, Phrenilin, Sedapap
Type:Depressant (barbiturate class).Seepage 20
Federal Schedule Listing:Schedule III (DEA no. 2100)
USA Availability:Prescription
Pregnancy Category:C
Uses.The drug is a potent sedative. Butalbital’s primary medical use is for
headache relief, and a product containing butalbital has also been found ef-
fective in treating pain of oral surgery.
Drawbacks.In excessive amounts butalbital can interfere with breathing
and induce coma. The drug can increase body temperature, cause reddening
of the skin, slow manual dexterity, and bring on confusion and glumness, all
rather reminiscent of whatalcoholcan do. Compared to other barbiturates
butalbital is rather short acting, which can have the advantage of lessening
the time that users experience unwanted effects.
Abuse factors.Excessive use can cause problems both when actively taking
the drug and when the drug is stopped. A case is reported when butalbital
was suspected of promoting periods of wandering with the person having no
recollection of what happened during those times. A single dose of one thou-
sand milligrams (mg) is considered a poisonous dose, and a woman who took
900 mg daily for more than two years developed hallucinations, seizures, and
delirium when she stopped the drug; hospitalization was needed to cure those
symptoms. Two individuals taking 1,500 mg daily for months became con-
fused, experienced hallucinations, and needed medical help to wean them-
selves from the drug. Persons taking butalbital for migraine have had grand
mal brain seizures upon stopping the drug. Some medical practitioners feel
that drug abuse is a cause of chronic headache, a belief that may make pre-
scribing a controlled substance such as butalbital a touchy issue if a patient
complains of daily headache.
Drug interactions.Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can boost the
effects of butalbital. Like other barbiturates, butalbital can increase the effects
of alcohol and tranquilizers. Butalbital is suspected of decreasing the blood