A patient who has been using secobarbital for several months to treat insomnia tells the nurse that the prescriber has said the prescription will be changed to temazepam [Restoril] because it is safer. The patient asks why this agent is safer. The nurse is correct in telling the patient that temazepam?
1) does not depress the central nervous system.
2) shows no respiratory depression, even in toxic doses.
3) mimics the actions of a central nervous system inhibitory neurotransmitter.
4) potentiates endogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) producing a finite CNS depression.
