The key difference between sedative and tranquilizer relies on their analgesic properties. The sedatives offer increased analgesia while the tranquilizers offer comparatively less analgesia.
Sedatives and tranquilizers are medically important chemical drugs. Medical professionals prescribe sedatives and tranquilizers during different medical scenarios. They both are said to produce a calming effect. Moreover, they can be used on both humans and animals. However, long term intake of these drugs may result in severe damage to the central nervous system.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Sedative
3. What is Tranquilizer
4. Similarities Between Sedative and Tranquilizer
5. Side by Side Comparison – Sedative vs Tranquilizer in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is a Sedative?
Sedatives are chemical compounds that are also prescribed as medical drugs. The main task of a sedative is to depress the central nervous system. Some examples of sedatives include xylazine, diazepam, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Moreover, doctors administer sedatives for both humans and animals.
Sedatives are also known as depressants. Their main function is to depress the activity of the central nervous system as well as body functions.
Sedatives have high analgesic properties, and upon sedation, an organism becomes completely unaware of the surrounding occurrences. Moreover, the organism will not show any movements during the period of sedation. Thus, in most cases, sedatives are administered when an individual is not able to be controlled. Moreover, during the period of sedation, the said individual (either human or animal) will not be able to move.
What is a Tranquilizer?
Tranquilizers are chemical compounds that also act as depressants. Tranquilizers are also chemicals that can calm a person. However, the analgesic property of a tranquilizer is much less in comparison to sedatives. Tranquilizers are of two different categories as minor tranquilizers and major tranquilizers. The minor tranquilizers are mostly anti-anxiety pills, while major tranquilizers are administered during heavy mental illnesses. Furthermore, examples of tranquilizers are acepromazine, reserpine and ketamine.
Figure 01: Tranquilizer Gun
Furthermore, tranquilizers have less power. A person is partially unaware of the occurrences in the surrounding. Therefore, the person is able to move after administering the tranquilizer.
What are the Similarities Between Sedative and Tranquilizer?
- Sedatives and tranquilizers are depressants of the nervous system.
- Both act to calm the person.
- Moreover, they can be medically prescribed during different medical conditions.
- Both are administered on both animals and humans.
What is the Difference Between Sedative and Tranquilizer?
The sedatives and tranquilizers are chemical compounds that have similar effects. However, the key difference between sedative and tranquillizer relies on analgesic properties. That is; the sedatives have high analgesic properties while the tranquilizers have low analgesic properties. Once a sedative is administered, the organism cannot move, but once a tranquillizer is administered, the organism may have the ability to move.
Moreover, a sedated individual is completely unaware of his or her surroundings while a tranquillized individual may be partially aware of his or her surroundings. So, this is another difference between sedative and tranquillizer.
The below infographic represents more information regarding the difference between sedative and tranquilizer.
Summary – Sedative vs Tranquilizer
In summary, the sedatives and tranquilizers are chemicals that can depress the central nervous system. These are used as drugs to calm humans as well as animals. Thus, the administration takes place during various mental conditions. In this regard, sedatives offer high analgesic properties. In comparison, tranquilizers offer fewer analgesic properties. Further, the effects of sedatives are higher in comparison to the tranquilizers. So, this is the summary of the difference between sedative and tranquillizer.
Reference:
1. AEC Client Education Library – Sedative versus Tranquilizer, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Air rifle with tranquilliser dart” By kremlin.ru (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia