User:Mr. Ibrahem/Sodium oxybate

Sodium oxybate, also known as γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), is a medication used to treat sudden muscle weakness and excessive daytime sleepiness seen in narcolepsy. It may also be used for anesthesia, alcohol withdrawal, and opioid withdrawal. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a vein. Effects begin within 30 minutes.

Common side effects include nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, and tremor. Other side effects may include respiratory depression (insufficient breathing), misuse, seizures, and coma. It should not be used with alcohol. Use is not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding. It works via GABA receptors.

Sodium oxybate was approved for medical use in the United States in 2002 and Europe in 2005. Though it has been used since the 1960s for a number of conditions. It is available as a generic medication. In the United Kingdom 90 mg costs the NHS about £360 as of 2021. This amount in the United States costs about 5,800 USD. It is sold under the brand name Xyrem among others. In Canada and United States it is classified as Schedule III, while in Europe it is a Schedule IV controlled substance. It has also been used recreationally at raves.