[Problems in general management during barbiturate therapy].

Sixty-three patients (aged from 4 to 75 years) who had suffered severe head injury or cerebrovascular disease were placed on barbiturate regimens in which intravenous administration was given in amounts of 1-4 mg/kg/hr. Dobutamine and dopamine were also administered to prevent cardiac failure and renal failure. Immediate and delayed complications caused by barbiturate therapy were investigated and analyzed. Immediate complications included tachycardia which was seen in 16 cases (25%), and hypotension in 14 cases (22%), respectively. Higher incidence of those complications was noted among the patients who underwent surgery. Delayed complications included hypokalemia (41 cases, 65%), liver dysfunction hypernatremia (24 cases, 38%), infection (21 cases, 33%), cardiac failure (8 cases, 13%) and renal failure (1 case, 2%), respectively. Therefore, in patients treated under barbiturate regimens great care should be taken in order to avoid above mentioned complications.