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KEY CONCEPTS
The primary clinical use of cholinesterase inhibitors is to reverse nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers.
Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter for the entire parasympathetic nervous system (parasympathetic ganglions and effector cells), parts of the sympathetic nervous system (sympathetic ganglions, adrenal medulla, and sweat glands), some neurons in the central nervous system, and somatic nerves innervating skeletal muscle.
Neuromuscular transmission is blocked when nondepolarizing muscle relaxants compete with acetylcholine to bind to nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The cholinesterase inhibitors indirectly increase the amount of acetylcholine available to compete with the nondepolarizing agent, thereby reestablishing neuromuscular transmission.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors prolong the depolarization blockade of succinylcholine.
Any prolongation of action of a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant from renal or hepatic insufficiency will probably be accompanied by a corresponding increase in the duration of action of a cholinesterase inhibitor.
The time required to fully reverse a nondepolarizing block depends on several factors, including the choice and dose of cholinesterase inhibitor administered, the muscle relaxant being antagonized, and the extent of the blockade before reversal.
A reversal agent should be routinely given to patients who have received nondepolarizing muscle relaxants unless full reversal can be demonstrated or the postoperative plan includes continued intubation and ventilation.
Newer quantitative methods for assessing recovery from neuromuscular blockade, such as acceleromyography, may further reduce the incidence of undetected residual postoperative neuromuscular paralysis.
Sugammadex exerts its effects by forming tight complexes in a 1:1 ratio with steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents.
Cysteine causes the inactivation of gantacurium via metabolic degradation and adduct formation.
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Incomplete reversal of neuromuscular blocking agents and residual postprocedure paralysis are associated with morbidity and increased perioperative cost; therefore, careful assessment of neuromuscular blockade and appropriate pharmacological antagonism are strongly recommended whenever muscle relaxants are administered. The primary clinical use of cholinesterase inhibitors is to reverse nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers. Some of these agents are also used to diagnose and treat myasthenia gravis. More recently, agents such as cyclodextrins and cysteine that have superior ability to reverse neuromuscular blockade from specific agents are being employed or investigated. This chapter reviews cholinergic pharmacology and the mechanisms of acetylcholinesterase inhibition and presents the clinical pharmacology of commonly used cholinesterase inhibitors (neostigmine, edrophonium, pyridostigmine, and physostigmine). It also includes a review of newer reversal agents.
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CHOLINERGIC PHARMACOLOGY
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The term cholinergic refers to the effects of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is synthesized in the nerve terminal by the enzyme choline acetyltransferase, which catalyzes the reaction between acetyl coenzyme A and choline (Figure 12–1). After release, acetylcholine is rapidly hydrolyzed by acetylcholinesterase (true cholinesterase) into acetate and choline.
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Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter for the entire parasympathetic nervous system (parasympathetic ganglia and effector cells), parts of the sympathetic nervous system (sympathetic ganglia, adrenal medulla, and sweat glands), some neurons ...