ABSTRACT
Thischapterpresentsabriefoverviewoftheclinicalsyndromesassociatedwiththe abuseofcerebraldepressantdrugs,includingalcohol.Thesesubstancesarenamed fortheirsharedabilitytodampencentralnervoussystem(CNS)activitywhile producingrelativelylittleanalgesiceffectwhentakeninlowtomoderatedoses. Thisclassofdrugsconsistsofalcohol,barbituratesandsimilarcompounds,benzodiazepinesandcarbamates(seeTable9.1).Analternativeclassificationschemefor theseagentsfocusesontheirmajorclinicaltargetsymptoms.Thus,theCNS depressantsareoftensubdividedintosedative-hypnotic,antianxietyand anticonvulsantcategories.However,itmustberememberedthatthesespecific clinicalindicationsusuallyresultfromeachdrug'scharacteristicpharmacologic proftlebasedonitsrouteofadministration,speedwithwhichitenterstheCNS,and rateofmetabolismandexcretion,ratherthananymajordifferenceinCNS dampeningeffect.
