NURS 3331 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Neuromuscular-Blocking Drug, Myasthenia Gravis, Neuromuscular Junction
Document Summary
Chapter 15: cholinesterase inhibitors and their use in myasthenia gravis. Cholinesterase inhibitors are drugs that prevent the degradation of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase (also known as cholinesterase) Cholinesterase inhibitors are also known as anticholinesterase drugs. They increase the amount of acetylcholine available to activate receptors, thus enhancing cholinergic action. They are viewed as indirect-acting cholinergic agonists. There are two basic categories of cholinesterase inhibitors: reversible inhibitors: produce effects of moderate duration, irreversible inhibitors: produce effects of long duration. Neostigmine (bloxiverz, prostigmin) typifies the reversible cholinesterase inhibitors and will serve as out prototype for the group. Prostigmin"s principal indication is management of myasthenia gravis. Bloxiverz is used to reverse the actions of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade following surgery. This results in more acetylcholine being available to activate cholinergic receptors. Pharmacologic effects: in sufficient doses, cholinesterase inhibitors can produce skeletal muscle stimulation, ganglionic stimulation, activation of peripheral muscarinic receptors, and activation of cholinergic receptors in the.
