1. Plural of glutethimide; a class of sedative-hypnotic drugs formerly used to treat insomnia and anxiety, now largely discontinued due to safety concerns.
Usage: pharmaceutical/medical; dated; chiefly used in historical or clinical contexts

Examples

• Glutethimides were commonly prescribed in the 1960s and 1970s before safer alternatives became available.
• The pharmacologist studied the effects of glutethimides on sleep architecture.
• Due to their potential for abuse and overdose, glutethimides have been largely replaced by benzodiazepines and newer agents.
• Medical textbooks from that era document the use of glutethimides in treating chronic insomnia.
• The withdrawal from glutethimides can cause rebound insomnia and other complications.