chloral hydrate
Noun: A synthetic, colorless, crystalline chemical compound with the formula C₂H₃Cl₃O₂. It is a pharmaceutical drug historically and currently used for its sedative and hypnotic effects. It is known to be an irritant to the gastrointestinal tract and has a significant potential for dependence and addiction with prolonged use.
Chloral hydrate is used as a medicinal agent. Its primary use is to induce sleep (as a hypnotic) or to produce a calming effect (as a sedative). It is also sometimes used for procedural sedation.
- Medical Context:
- The physician prescribed chloral hydrate for the patient's severe insomnia.
- In the 19th century, chloral hydrate was a common sedative before the development of safer alternatives.
- Descriptive Context:
- The solution contained a precise dose of chloral hydrate.
- Prolonged use of chloral hydrate can lead to tolerance.
- "Chloral hydrate poisoning": Refers to acute toxicity or overdose from the drug, which can depress the central nervous system and be fatal.
- The toxicology report indicated chloral hydrate poisoning.
- "Chloral hydrate dependence": Describes a state of physiological or psychological addiction to the drug.
- The treatment program addressed his chloral hydrate dependence.
- Chloral (noun): Refers to trichloroacetaldehyde (CCl₃CHO), the chemical compound from which chloral hydrate is derived. Chloral hydrate is formed when chloral reacts with water.
- The synthesis involves the conversion of ethanol to chloral, which is then hydrated.
- Sedative-hypnotic: A class of drugs that depress the central nervous system to induce calmness or sleep.
- Knockout drops (historical slang): A colloquial term, often referring to a solution of chloral hydrate used to surreptitiously sedate someone.
While "chloral hydrate" specifically names this crystalline compound, it is important to distinguish it from its precursor, "chloral." The term almost exclusively refers to the pharmaceutical substance and its effects, not to a broader class of chemicals.
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a colorless crystalline drug used as a sedative; irritates the stomach and can be addictive
