Psychoactive Medications

Psychoactive medications are defined as medications that affect the central nervous system neurotransmitter pathways with the intention to modulate mood or consciousness. This broad category of medications includes sedative-hypnotic agents such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates, antidepressants, neuroleptics, and mood stabilizers. The principal source of exposure for these medications is through prescription drug use and misuse. This review discusses the principles of toxicity, immediate stabilization, diagnosis and definitive therapy, and disposition and outcomes related to sedative-hypnotics, antidepressants, neuroleptics, and lithium. Tables include common benzodiazepine and barbiturate compounds, dosing instructions for multidose activated charcoal, flumazenil dosing recommendations, commonly available tricyclic and atypical (noncyclic) antidepressants, dosing recommendations for sodium bicarbonate in serum alkalinization, benzodiazepine dosing recommendations in serotonin syndrome, dosing recommendations for cyproheptadine, signs and symptoms that differentiate  neuroleptic malignant syndrome from serotonin syndrome, and indications for renal replacement therapy based on lit