Side Effects Of Sodium Amytal

Sodium amytal, or amobarbital, is a barbiturate medication, indicating that it produces drowsiness and relaxation in the person who takes it. Amobarbital, as an injection, is used as a temporary treatment for insomnia as well as an anxiety-reducing sedative prior to a surgical operation. The medical reference UpToDate reports that it is also used "off-label"--for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration--to conduct a special neurological test called the Wada test. The pharmacology reference MicroMedex explains that serious side effects are rare, but patients should still be aware of the possible unwanted effects of this medication.

Neurological Side Effects

The most typical side effects associated with using amobarbital, whether as a short-term, injected, sleep aid or as a pre-operative medication, all fall under the category of neurological effects. Most commonly, as reported in MicroMedex, patients will find that they are more drowsy than usual after taking this medication. Another possible effect is that of headaches. Other patients may awaken confused or disoriented, while other patients may feel the unpleasant sensation of dizziness. MicroMedex, in its detailed description of this medication, reports that besides drowsiness, the other potential effects are quite rare; less than 1 percent of patients experience them.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a serious skin reaction that can occur as a response to many different medications, including amobarbital. Dr. Milton Nirken and Dr. Whitney High, writing in the medical reference UpToDate, explain that in Stevens-Johnson syndrome, less than 10 percent of the skin is covered in a severe rash. This rash generally progresses to large areas of blistering; eventually the skin begins to die--a process called necrosis--and falls off. Accompanying symptoms include fever and pain. MayoClinic.com includes tongue and face swelling in its list of symptoms. Patients who have taken sodium amytal and notice a fever and development of severe blisters should contact their physician. Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a life-threatening emergency that must be treated promptly.

Hypoventilation and Apnea

The pharmacology reference MicroMedex considers hypoventilation--breathing more slowly than normal--to be a serious but not necessarily common potential side effect of amobarbital. Patients who have been given too large a dose of amobarbital may notice that their breathing is indeed slower or shallower than normal. In extreme cases, hypoventilation may progress to apnea, a pause in breathing. The pause may be very brief or may last 10 to 20 seconds; during these pauses, the body is getting less oxygen than it needs. Hypoventilation and apnea are serious conditions and should not be ignored; a patient who is worried that his breathing is not normal should contact his healthcare provider.