Brevital, the brand name for the generic drug methohexital sodium, is an injectable anaesthetic medication that both adults and children over 1 month old can use. This medication can be used alone or in conjunction with certain types of anesthetic medications to induce anesthesia in patients prior to surgery. Brevital should only be administered by an anesthesiologist in a medical setting. Patients should discuss the potential side effects of Brevital with a doctor prior to surgery.
Heart Rate Changes
Treatment with Brevital can cause heart-related side effects in patients. This anesthetic medication effects the central nervous system and can cause patients to experience decreased blood pressure or heart beat irregularities, warns Drugs.com, a peer-reviewed drug information website for consumers. If this medication is administered incorrectly, treated patients may be at risk of developing serious side effects such as cardiorespiratory arrest, a life-threatening medical complication in which the heart and lungs stop functioning.
Respiratory Depression
Brevital use can cause slowed, shallow breathing in patients, a side effect called respiratory depression, explains RxList, an online drug index. Certain patients can also develop hiccups or difficulty breathing after receiving Brevital. Though rare, severe breathing difficulties, such as unusual spasms of the airway passages or cessation of breath, can occur in certain patients following treatment with this anesthetic medication.
Muscle Twitching
After receiving Brevital, patients can begin to experience unusual, involuntary muscle spasms or twitches as side effects of treatment. These side effects are generally mild and progressively subside as the medication wears off after surgery. Certain patients may also be at an increased risk of developing convulsions or seizures after treatment, reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Stomach Upset
As this anesthetic medication begins to wear off, treated patients may wake up from anesthesia with an upset stomach. Affected patients can feel nauseous or begin vomiting, warns Drugs.com. Certain patients can also experience stomach pain or discomfort, which can lead to appetite loss. These side effects are temporary and progressively subside within a day or two of treatment.
Anxiety or Restlessness
Patients can become unusually anxious or restless following treatment with Brevital. Certain patients can also appear delirious or confused, especially after waking up from surgery. These side effects will subside once this anesthetic medication wears off.
Allergic Reaction
Rarely, certain patients can experience an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis following Brevital treatment, warns Daily Med, an informational medication website supported by the National Institutes of Health. These allergic reaction side effects can include red, itchy skin; breathing difficulties; heart rate abnormalities; headache; or facial or oral swelling. Patients who develop these life-threatening side effects require immediate emergency medical intervention.
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