Barbiturates in severe head injuries?

✍ Scribed by Dag Moskopp; Fernand Ries; Hansdetlef Wassmann; Joachim Nadstawek

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 723 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0344-5607
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00310657

✦ Synopsis

Possible mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of barbituric acid derivatives in severe head injuries have been discussed for half a century. In the following, a survey of the literature, and a discussion of three controlled clinical studies available until now is presented. A proven effect in terms of a beneficial long-term outcome for all injured patients has not been established. On the other hand there might be a subgroup of patients with an intact CO2 reactivity of the brain vessels who may profit from barbiturates administered after head trauma.