| sedative | <pharmacology> A medication with tranquilising properties. most sedatives (tranquillisers) can also promote sleep. Overdosage of a sedative medication can lead to dangerous respiratory depression (slowed breathing). A large group of medications with sedative effects are the benzodiazepines. Examples include: diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, alprazolam, clonazepam, temazepam, lorazepam, flurazepam, oxazepam, clorazepate and triazolam. Origin: L. Sedativus (09 Oct 1997) |
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| sedatives, barbiturate | Those derivatives of barbituric or thiobarbituric acid that are used as hypnotics or sedatives. The structural class of all such derivatives, regardless of use, is barbiturates. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sedatives, nonbarbiturate | Compounds with diverse chemical and pharmacological properties that have in common the ability to allay excitement and anxiety and at higher concentrations induce sleep. (12 Dec 1998) |