A patient who has suffered a traumatic brain injury is scheduled to undergo neurosurgery. The physician requests that the patient be coma-induced. The nurse would expect to administer which of the following barbituate medications for an induced coma?

Explanation

• Pentobarbital is a barbiturate used for coma induction (also called a "barb coma").

• Barbiturate comas are used to reduce the metabolic rate of brain tissue and cerebral blood flow, which helps decrease intracranial pressure.

• Diazepam and lorazepam are benzodiazepines, not barbituates. Propofol is an anesthetic and is used for sedation, but not to induce a coma.

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