Butalbital Explained

Butalbital is a barbiturate with an intermediate duration of action. Butalbital is often combined with other medications, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) (as Butalbital/acetaminophen) or aspirin, for the treatment of pain and headache. The various formulations combined with codeine are FDA-approved for the treatment of tension headaches. Butalbital has the same chemical formula as talbutal but a different structure—one that presents as 5-allyl-5-isobutylbarbituric acid.^[1]

Preparations

Combinations include:

• Butalbital/acetaminophen, Butalbital and acetaminophen (paracetamol), (trade names: Axocet, Bucet, Bupap, Cephadyn, Dolgic, Phrenilin, Forte, Sedapap)
• Butalbital, paracetamol (acetaminophen), and caffeine (trade names: Fioricet, Esgic, Esgic-Plus, Orbivan, Fiormor, Fiortal, Fortabs, Laniroif)
• Butalbital, paracetamol (acetaminophen), caffeine, and codeine phosphate (trade name: Fioricet#3 with Codeine)
• Butalbital and aspirin (trade name: Axotal)
• Butalbital, aspirin, caffeine (trade name: Fiorinal)
• Butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate (trade name: Fiorinal#3 with Codeine)
• Ergotamine tartrate, caffeine, butalbital, belladonna alkaloids (trade name: Cafergot-PB)

Contraindications

There are specific treatments which are appropriate for targeting migraines and headaches.^[2] Butalbital is not recommended as a first-line treatment because it impairs alertness, brings risk of dependence and addiction, and increases the risk that episodic headaches will become chronic.^[3] When other treatments are unavailable or ineffective, butalbital may be appropriate if the patient can be monitored to prevent the development of chronic headache.^[3]

Side effects

Side effects for any psychoactive drug are difficult to predict, though butalbital is usually well tolerated. Commonly reported side effects for butalbital, some of which tend to subside with continued use, include:

• Dizziness
• Respiratory depression (impaired breathing)
• Drowsiness
• Intoxicated feeling
• Light-headedness
• Nausea
• Sedation
• Euphoria
• Severe impairment of judgment
• Diarrhea
• Memory Loss
• Constipation

Rare side-effects include Stevens–Johnson syndrome, an adverse reaction to barbiturates, and anaphylaxis.

The risk and severity of all side effects is greatly increased when butalbital (or butalbital-containing medications) are combined with other sedatives (ex. ethanol, opiates, benzodiazepines, antihistamines). In particular, butalbital, especially when combined with other sedatives (e.g. opioids), can cause life-threatening respiratory depression and death. Inhibitors of the hepatic enzyme CYP3A4 may also increase the risk, severity, and duration of side effects, many drugs inhibit this enzyme as do some foods such as grapefruit and the blood orange. Taking butalbital-based medications with some other drugs may also increase the side effects of the other medication.

Dangers and risks

Butalbital can cause dependence or addiction. Mixing with alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other CNS-depressants increases the risk of intoxication, increases respiratory depression, and increases liver toxicity when in combination with paracetamol (acetaminophen). Use of butalbital and alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other CNS-depressants can contribute to coma, and in extreme cases, fatality.

External links

• Butalbital, Online Medical Dictionary
• Butalbital and Acetaminophen (Systemic) (archive), MedicinePlus Drug Information
• Controlled Substances in Schedule III, (archive), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

Notes and References

1. DE Patent 526854
2. , which cites
   • Silberstein SD . Practice parameter: evidence-based guidelines for migraine headache (an evidence-based review): report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology . Neurology . 55 . 6 . 754–62 . September 2000 . 10993991 . 10.1212/WNL.55.6.754 . free .
   • Evers S, Afra J, Frese A, Goadsby PJ, Linde M, May A, Sándor PS . EFNS guideline on the drug treatment of migraine--revised report of an EFNS task force . European Journal of Neurology . 16 . 9 . 968–81 . September 2009 . 19708964 . 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02748.x . European Federation of Neurological Societies . 9204782 . free .
3. , which cites
   • Bigal ME, Lipton RB . Excessive opioid use and the development of chronic migraine . Pain . 142 . 3 . 179–82 . April 2009 . 19232469 . 10.1016/j.pain.2009.01.013 . 27949021 .
   • Bigal ME, Serrano D, Buse D, Scher A, Stewart WF, Lipton RB . Acute migraine medications and evolution from episodic to chronic migraine: a longitudinal population-based study . Headache . 48 . 8 . 1157–68 . September 2008 . 18808500 . 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01217.x . 17358333 . free .
   • Scher AI, Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Lipton RB . Factors associated with the onset and remission of chronic daily headache in a population-based study . Pain . 106 . 1–2 . 81–9 . November 2003 . 14581114 . 10.1016/S0304-3959(03)00293-8 . 29000302 .
   • Katsarava Z, Schneeweiss S, Kurth T, Kroener U, Fritsche G, Eikermann A, Diener HC, Limmroth V . 6 . Incidence and predictors for chronicity of headache in patients with episodic migraine . Neurology . 62 . 5 . 788–90 . March 2004 . 15007133 . 10.1212/01.WNL.0000113747.18760.D2 . 20759425 .