Cholinergic Drugs Flashcards
acetylcholinesterase
the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine (also referred to as as cholinesterase)
acetylcholine
the neurotransmitter responsible for transmission of nerve impulses to effector cells in the parasympathetic nervous system
Alzheimer’s disease
a disease of the brain that is characterised by progressive mental deterioration manifested by confusion, disorientation, and loss of memory, ability to calculate, and visual-spatial orientation
atony
a lack of normal muscle tone
cholinergic crisis
severe muscles weakness and respiratory paralysis due to excessive acetylcholine; often seen in patients with myasthenia gravis as an adverse effect of drugs used to treat the disorder
cholinergic receptor
a nerve receptor that is stimulated by acetylcholine
miosis
the contraction of the pupil
muscarinic receptors
cholinergic receptors that are located post-synaptically in the effector organs such as smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands supplied by parasympathetic fibers
nicotinic receptors
cholinergic receptors located on the ganglia (where presynaptic and postsynaptic nerve fibers meet) of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system; so named because they can be stimulated by the alkaloid nicotine
parasympathomimetics
drugs that mimic the parasympathetic nervous system; also referred to as cholinergic agonist drugs
cholinergic drugs: direct-acting drugs
bethanechol [Urecholine], carbachol [Carboptic], pilocarpine [Salagen, Pilocar], succinylcholine [Anectine, Quelicin]
cholinergic drugs: indirect-acting drugs
donepezil [Aricept], echothiophate [Phospholine Iodide], edrophonium [Tensilon], galantamine [Razadyne], neostigmine [Prostigmin], physostigmine [Antilorium], pyridostigmine [Mestinon], rivastigmine [Exelon], tacrine [Cognex]
cholinergic agonist adverse effects: cardiovascular system
bradycardia or tachycardia, hypotension or hypertension, syncope, conduction abnormalities (atrioventricular block and cardiac arrest)
cholinergic agonist adverse effects: central nervous system
headache, dizziness, convulsions, ataxia
cholinergic agonist adverse effects: gastrointestinal system
abdominal cramps, increased secretions, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
