Amobarbital

Amobarbital is a prescription medication used as a sedative for the short-term treatment of insomnia.

• Amobarbital is available under the following different brand names: Amytal Sodium

Common side effects of Amobarbital include:

• Sleepiness,
• Confusion,
• Nervousness,
• Insomnia,
• Dizziness,
• Nausea,
• Vomiting,
• Constipation,
• Headache,
• Fever,
• Agitation,
• Nightmares,
• Anxiety,
• Sleep apnea,
• Low blood pressure,
• Fainting,
• Injection site reactions,
• Muscle spasms,
• Loss of coordination,
• Hallucinations,
• Abnormal thinking,
• Slow breathing,
• Slow heart rate,
• Hypersensitivity reactions (skin swelling, peeling, or rash), or
• Liver damage.

Serious side effects of Amobarbital include:

• Rash. 
• Hives. 
• Itching. 
• Red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever. 
• Wheezing. 
• Tightness in the chest or throat.
• Trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or 
• Swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs of depression, thoughts of suicide, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, thinking that is not normal, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
• Trouble breathing, slow breathing, or shallow breathing.
• Very bad irritation where the shot was given.

Rare side effects of Amobarbital include:

• none 

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult and pediatric dosage

Powder for injection: Schedule II

• 500 mg

Sedative

Adult dosage

• 30-50 mg Intravenous every 8-12 hours

Pediatric dosage

• Children below 6 years: Safety and effectiveness not established
• Children between 6-12 years: 65 mg-500 mg Intravenous/intramuscular
• Children above 12 years: 30-50 mg intravenous every 8-12 hours

Hypnotic

Adult dosage

• 65-200 mg Intravenous every night

Pediatric dosage

• Children below 6 years: Safety and effectiveness not established
• Children between 6-12 years: 2-3 mg/kg; not to exceed 500 mg intravenous/intramuscular  
• Children above 12 years: 65-200 mg Intravenous every night

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Amobarbital has severe interactions with the following drugs
  • calcium/magnesium/potassium/sodium oxybates
  • doravirine
  • fostemsavir
  • isavuconazonium sulfate
  • lonafarnib
  • lorlatinib
  • mavacamten
  • sodium oxybate
• Amobarbital has serious interactions with at least 105 other drugs.
• Amobarbital has moderate interactions with at least 349 other drugs.
• Amobarbital has minor interactions with at least 122 other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity
• Patients with a history of manifest or latent porphyria
• Significant impairment of liver function
• Respiratory disease in which dyspnea or obstruction is evident

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Amobarbital?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Amobarbital?”

Cautions

• Habit-forming; tolerance and psychological dependence may occur with continued use
• Caution in patients that are mentally depressed have suicide ideation or history of drug abuse and hepatic damage
• Rapid administration may cause respiratory depression, apnea, laryngospasm, or vasodilatation with a decrease in blood pressure
• Parenteral solutions of barbiturates are highly alkaline; care should be taken to avoid perivascular extravasation or intra-arterial injection
• Amobarbital may diminish the systemic effects of exogenous and endogenous corticosteroids. Administer with caution to patients with borderline hypo adrenal function, regardless of whether it is of pituitary or primary adrenal origin
• Possible impairment of mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks, such as driving a car or operating machinery
• Concurrent use of barbiturates with other CNS depressants (. g, alcohol, narcotics, tranquilizers, antihistamines) may result in increased CNS-depressant effects
• Extravascular injection may cause local tissue damage with subsequent necrosis; consequences of intra-arterial injection may vary from transient pain to gangrene of the limb; any complaint of pain in the limb warrants stopping the injection

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug is available.
• Lactation
  • Small amounts of barbiturates are excreted in the milk; use caution