Butalbital is often combined with other medications, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) (as Butalbital/acetaminophen) or aspirin, for the treatment of pain and headache.

[5] When other treatments are unavailable or ineffective, butalbital may be appropriate if the patient can be monitored to prevent the development of chronic headache.

[5] Side effects for any psychoactive drug are difficult to predict, though butalbital is usually well tolerated.

The risk and severity of all side effects is greatly increased when butalbital (or butalbital-containing medications) are combined with other sedatives (ex.

Use of butalbital and alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other CNS-depressants can contribute to coma, and in extreme cases, fatality.