This course is the first in our Core Concepts Series, which reviews potentially impairing drug classes from three scientific perspectives: Pharmacology, Forensic Toxicology, and Clinical Toxicology. A future supplemental series will add law enforcement and DRE perspectives for each drug class as well.

The term “sedative hypnotics” refers to drugs that induce relaxation (sedation) and/or sleep (hypnosis). This class includes benzodiazepines, barbiturates, z-hypnotics (zolpidem, etc.), and others.

Muscle relaxers are drugs designed to relive pain from dysfunctional muscle behavior and may work through multiple different pathways. Some muscle relaxers exert effects on the central nervous system and may impair a patient’s ability to perform complex tasks safely.

This course will begin with pharmacology of the drug classes and then review effects on driving, unique characteristics, pharmacokinetics, and expected concentrations of individual drugs, and other forensic considerations. The course will be closed out by a medical toxicologist sharing perspectives from emergency medicine, which can provide valuable insight to forensic practitioners on drug interactions, pathophysiology, FDA warnings, clinical presentation of overdose cases, withdrawal syndromes, and other unique considerations that may be scarce in traditional forensic education.

Note: This course is best received by learners with a knowledge of basic pharmacology principles, but can prove beneficial to anyone responsible for interacting with drug impaired individuals or interpretating corresponding incidents.