Neuromuscular-blocking drug

Neuromuscular-blocking drug

Neuromuscular-blocking drugs or neuromuscular-blocking agents (pronunciation: neuro-muscular-blocking drugs) are a class of drugs that induce paralysis in the muscle after endotracheal intubation.

Etymology

The term "neuromuscular-blocking drug" is derived from the drug's function. "Neuro" refers to the nervous system, "muscular" refers to the muscles, and "blocking" refers to the drug's ability to block the transmission of signals from the nerves to the muscles.

Function

Neuromuscular-blocking drugs are often used in anesthesia to induce paralysis during surgery. The drugs work by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles, which results in paralysis. This is achieved by blocking the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that transmits signals in the nervous system.

Types

There are two main types of neuromuscular-blocking drugs: non-depolarizing and depolarizing.

• Non-depolarizing drugs work by competitively blocking the action of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Examples include rocuronium, vecuronium, and pancuronium.
• Depolarizing drugs work by mimicking the action of acetylcholine, but they are not metabolized by the body as quickly, which results in a longer period of paralysis. The most common example is succinylcholine.

Related Terms

• Anesthesia
• Acetylcholine
• Neuromuscular junction
• Rocuronium
• Vecuronium
• Pancuronium
• Succinylcholine

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Neuromuscular-blocking drug
• Wikipedia's article - Neuromuscular-blocking drug

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