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Anaesthesia => Pain => Tranquillizer
Tranquillizer
Tranquillizer, common name applied to a class of drugs used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Originally the term comprised two groups: the major tranquillizers-the phenothiazines, such as chlorpromazine (largactil)-useful in the treatment of acutely ill psychotic patients; and the minor tranquillizers-the benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium). By popular usage, the term now refers only to the latter group; the former group is now known as antipsychotics. In the early 1980s, the benzodiazepines were the most frequently prescribed drugs in the world. Although they are useful for relief of temporary anxiety and insomnia, they are recommended for short-term use only. Taking copious amounts of these substances at the same time as alcohol can lead to coma or even death. Long-term administration of the benzodiazepines can cause drug dependence, with typical withdrawal symptoms ranging from nightmares to convulsions when the drug intake is stopped.
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