Final answer:
Thiopental sodium is the barbiturate used in ECT to produce a light coma, which helps to protect the patient during the procedure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The barbiturate used in ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) to produce a light coma is thiopental sodium. Thiopental sodium is a short-acting barbiturate that is used intravenously to induce general anesthesia and a temporary coma-like state during ECT procedures.
ECT is a medical treatment that involves applying electrical currents to the brain to induce a seizure. The temporary coma induced by thiopental sodium helps to protect the patient from the muscle contractions and convulsions that occur during the seizure. It allows the procedure to be performed safely and effectively.