This page was prepared by Lynn Kash, RN, Internet Nursing Guide
Pennsylvania Nurses,Emergency Department
http://www.nursefriendly.com/kash/

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Chloral hydrate: the good and the bad, December 1999, Biopsychiatry.com:"Chloral hydrate (CH) is a widely used oral sedative hypnotic drug. Our Regional Poison Control Center frequently receives calls regarding unintentional and intentional chloral hydrate overdose. The chief manifestations of toxicity are due to central nervous system depressant action and its arrhythmogenic potential. After absorption, it is immediately converted to trichloroethanol (TCE), which is the active drug."
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/chloral-hydrate.htm

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PMS-Chloral Hydrate, How does this medication work, MedBroadcast.com:"Chloral hydrate belongs to the group of medications known as sedatives and hypnotics. It promotes sedation and sleep by acting on certain areas of the brain.

Chloral hydrate is used to manage short-term sleeping problems and is used before surgery or other procedures to reduce anxiety or to produce sedation or sleep. It may also be used to help calm or relax people who are nervous or tense for other reasons. This medication should normally not be used for longer than two to seven days, as it can become habit-forming."
http://drugs.medbroadcast.com/ASP/DrugInfo.asp?BrandNameID=1463

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Chloral Hydrate, Description, Medizine:"This is one of the oldest sleeping drugs n use. Although it has largely been superseded by benzodiazepines it is still prescribed for short-term treatment of insomnia. Unlike many sleeping drugs chloral hydrate is suitable for occasional use in the treatment of sleeplessness in children. Because it loses effectiveness quickly it is not as commonly used as other sleeping drugs for the long-term treatment of insomnia. In liquid form it has an unpleasant taste, but capsules are also available."
http://www.cix.co.uk/~cyberville/medizine/chloral.htm

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Chloral Hydrate (Systemic), Description, MEDLINEplus:"Chloral hydrate (KLOR-al HYE-drate) belongs to the group of medicines called sedatives and hypnotics. It is sometimes used before surgery or certain procedures to relieve anxiety or tension or to produce sleep. If your child is to take this medicine before a dental or medical procedure, it should be given to the child only at the health care facility where the procedure is to be done. This will allow the health care professional to monitor your child."
Office of Communications and Public Liaison National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20894
Phone: (301) 496-6308 Fax: (301) 496-4450 email: publicinfo@nlm.nih.gov
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202123.html

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Chloral hydrate, Indications, Neonatology.org:"Sedation for procedures (e.g. CAT scan) or for agitation that is interfering with ventilation (e.g. in BPD). Has no analgesic properties!"
http://www.neonatology.org/ref/meds/med22.html

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Use of Chloral Hydrate On Children for Procedural Sedation, Nursing.Uiowa.edu:"Chloral hydrate is a relatively safe and effective hypnotic drug that is used to sedate children for procedures such as CT or MR imaging. This medication has no analgesic affect but will relax the child and cause them to not remember the time during sedation. It is most commonly used for children ages four years old and younger. Parental consent must be obtained before the use of this drug. Before administration a presedation assessment must be completed. Risk factors such as upper airway obstruction, respiratory infection, chronic pulmonary, cardiac or renal disease or a fever of unknown origin need to be assessed. These conditions could increase the chance of adverse side effects of the drug. Baseline vital signs are also obtained prior to sedation.
http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/sites/PedsPain/Procedur/NOCTECtt.htm

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Chloral Hydrate, Indications, RXlist:"Chloral hydrate is indicated for nocturnal sedation in all types of patients and especially for the ill, the young, and the elderly patient.

In candidates for surgery, it is a satisfactory preoperative sedative that allays anxiety and induces sleep without depressing respiration or cough reflex. In postoperative care and control of pain, it is a valuable adjunct to opiates and analgesics."
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/chloralhyd_ids.htm

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Chloral Hydrate, Mechanism of Action, Virtual Hospital:"The exact mechanism of action for chloral hydrate is unknown. The primary central nervous system effects of chloral hydrate are attributed to its active metabolite, trichlorethanol. Both parent compound and active metabolite appear to have CNS depressant effects. The extent of central nervous system depression is associated with actual dose and frequency of dosing. Chloral hydrate does not have any analgesic properties."
http://www.vh.org/Providers/ClinGuide/ProceduralSedation/ChloralHydrate.html

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Chloral Hydrate, Why Prescribed, Whole Health Md:"For the short-term treatment of insomnia. Chloral hydrate is being replaced by safer, more effective drugs for this purpose."
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/drugs_view/1,1524,118,00.html

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