CNS DEPRESSANTS EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants are drugs that result in a calming effect by
1._______________ the transmission of nerve impulses to the CNS. - ANS 1. inhibiting
1.___________ are the subclass of CNS Depressants which inhibit nerve impulses by acting on
the brainstem and GABA receptors resulting in the inhibition of nerve impulses in the cerebral
cortex. - ANS 1. Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines carry a black box warning regarding what? - ANS The combination of all
opioids with all benzodiazepines can cause serious CNS depression (extreme sleepiness,
respiratory depression, coma and death).
1.____________ produce a sense of calm, reduce nervousness, excitability, and irritability
without causing sleep unless given in a large enough dose.
2._______________ cause sleep with a much more potent CNS effect than 3._____________.
4._______________ can act as either a sedative or a hypnotic depending on the dose and
patient responsiveness. In low doses, they calm the CNS without causing sleep. In high doses,
they calm the CNS and cause sleep. - ANS 1. Sedatives
2. Hypnotics
3. Sedatives
4. Sedative-Hypnotics
Sedative-hypnotics, the group of CNS depressants that have either a sedative or hypnotic
effect, or both, depending on various factors, are broken into 3 groups based on their chemical
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, makeup. Which of them carries the highest risk for dependence and are therefore used less? -
ANS Barbiturates
Barbiturates carry with them many contraindications, risk for dependence and overdose, as
well as many drug-drug interactions.
Drag the statements below that apply to barbiturates and drop them to the right side column: -
ANS *Contraindicated in pregnancy
*Barbiturates cause enzyme stimulation in the liver leading to a shortened duration of action of
many drugs.
*Overdose of barbiturates typically leads to respiratory arrest, coma, and death.
*Pentobarbital (Nembutal) and phenobarbital help to treat insomnia, withdrawal symptoms,
and to control status epilepticus.
*Their long term use can lead to harmful effects on sleep due to the deprivation of REM sleep.
Choose all the statements below that are correct regarding Benzodiazepines. (Select all that
apply.) - ANS *Affect the hypothalamic, thalamic, and limbic systems of the brain (GABA
receptors)
*Reduce excessive sensory stimulation which induces sleeps
*Induce relaxation of skeletal muscles
Nonbenzodiazepines act on the CNS 1.____________. Orexin Receptor Antagonists (also called
hypocretins) act on the CNS 2.____________. - ANS 1. and act very much like
benzodiazepines
2. and act very much like benzodiazepines
Pentobarbital is a 1.______________ acting 2.___________ now used for preoperative anxiety
and to produce 3.______________, to treat symptoms of withdrawal from other barbiturates
and nonbarbiturates, control status epilepticus, and to 4.____________ hyperbilirubinemia in
neonates.
Phenobarbital is a 5.______________ acting 6.___________ used to 7.______________
generalized tonic-clonic seizures and fever-induced convulsions, as well as 8.____________ of
hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. It is 9._____________ used as a sedative or hypnotic. -
ANS 1. Short-
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants are drugs that result in a calming effect by
1._______________ the transmission of nerve impulses to the CNS. - ANS 1. inhibiting
1.___________ are the subclass of CNS Depressants which inhibit nerve impulses by acting on
the brainstem and GABA receptors resulting in the inhibition of nerve impulses in the cerebral
cortex. - ANS 1. Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines carry a black box warning regarding what? - ANS The combination of all
opioids with all benzodiazepines can cause serious CNS depression (extreme sleepiness,
respiratory depression, coma and death).
1.____________ produce a sense of calm, reduce nervousness, excitability, and irritability
without causing sleep unless given in a large enough dose.
2._______________ cause sleep with a much more potent CNS effect than 3._____________.
4._______________ can act as either a sedative or a hypnotic depending on the dose and
patient responsiveness. In low doses, they calm the CNS without causing sleep. In high doses,
they calm the CNS and cause sleep. - ANS 1. Sedatives
2. Hypnotics
3. Sedatives
4. Sedative-Hypnotics
Sedative-hypnotics, the group of CNS depressants that have either a sedative or hypnotic
effect, or both, depending on various factors, are broken into 3 groups based on their chemical
1 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
, makeup. Which of them carries the highest risk for dependence and are therefore used less? -
ANS Barbiturates
Barbiturates carry with them many contraindications, risk for dependence and overdose, as
well as many drug-drug interactions.
Drag the statements below that apply to barbiturates and drop them to the right side column: -
ANS *Contraindicated in pregnancy
*Barbiturates cause enzyme stimulation in the liver leading to a shortened duration of action of
many drugs.
*Overdose of barbiturates typically leads to respiratory arrest, coma, and death.
*Pentobarbital (Nembutal) and phenobarbital help to treat insomnia, withdrawal symptoms,
and to control status epilepticus.
*Their long term use can lead to harmful effects on sleep due to the deprivation of REM sleep.
Choose all the statements below that are correct regarding Benzodiazepines. (Select all that
apply.) - ANS *Affect the hypothalamic, thalamic, and limbic systems of the brain (GABA
receptors)
*Reduce excessive sensory stimulation which induces sleeps
*Induce relaxation of skeletal muscles
Nonbenzodiazepines act on the CNS 1.____________. Orexin Receptor Antagonists (also called
hypocretins) act on the CNS 2.____________. - ANS 1. and act very much like
benzodiazepines
2. and act very much like benzodiazepines
Pentobarbital is a 1.______________ acting 2.___________ now used for preoperative anxiety
and to produce 3.______________, to treat symptoms of withdrawal from other barbiturates
and nonbarbiturates, control status epilepticus, and to 4.____________ hyperbilirubinemia in
neonates.
Phenobarbital is a 5.______________ acting 6.___________ used to 7.______________
generalized tonic-clonic seizures and fever-induced convulsions, as well as 8.____________ of
hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. It is 9._____________ used as a sedative or hypnotic. -
ANS 1. Short-
2 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
