A patient who has been using secobarbital for several months to treat insomnia tells the nurse that the prescriber has said the prescription will be changed to temazepam (Restoril) because it is safer
The patient asks why this agent is safer. The nurse is correct in telling the patient that temazepam:
a. does not depress the central nervous system.
b. shows no respiratory depression, even in toxic doses.
c. mimics the actions of a central nervous system inhibitory neurotransmitter.
d. only potentiates the action of endogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
ANS: D
Benzodiazepines potentiate the actions of GABA, and because the amount of GABA in the CNS is finite, these drugs' depressive effect on the CNS is limited. Benzodiazepines depress the CNS but not to the extent that barbiturates do. Benzodiazepines are weak respiratory depressants at therapeutic doses and moderate respiratory depressants at toxic doses. Barbiturates mimic GABA; therefore, because they produce CNS depression, this effect is limited only by the amount of barbiturate administered.
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