Suxamethonium Health Dictionary

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Suxamethonium: From 1 Different Sources

n. a depolarizing *muscle relaxant. It is administered by intravenous injection to produce rapid muscle relaxation for a brief period during surgery carried out under general anaesthesia.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Neuromuscular Blockade

In clinical practice, the transmission of impulses at the NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION may be blocked to paralyse temporarily a patient for a surgical procedure, or to assist treatment on the intensive care unit. There are two main types of drug, both of which competitively block the ACETYLCHOLINE receptors on the motor end plates. (1) Depolarising neuromuscular blocking agents: these act by ?rst producing stimulation at the receptor, and then by blocking it. There are characteristic muscle fasciculations before the rapid onset of paralysis which is of short duration (less than ?ve minutes with the commonly used drug, suxamethonium). The drug is removed from the receptor by the enzyme, CHOLINESTERASE.

(2) Non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agents: these drugs occupy the receptor and prevent acetylcholine from becoming attached to it. However, in su?ciently high concentrations, acetylcholine will compete with the drug and dislodge it from the receptor; the e?ect of these drugs is reversed by giving an anticholinesterase, which allows the amount of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction to build up. These drugs have varying durations of action, but all are slower in onset and of longer duration than the depolarisers.... neuromuscular blockade

Muscle Relaxant

an agent that reduces tension in voluntary muscles. Drugs such as *baclofen, *dantrolene, and *diazepam are used to relieve skeletal muscular spasms in various spastic conditions, parkinsonism, and tetanus. The drugs used to relax voluntary muscles during the administration of anaesthetics in surgical operations act by blocking the transmission of impulses at neuromuscular junctions. Nondepolarizing muscle relaxants, e.g. *atracurium besilate, cisatracurium, pancuronium, and rocuronium, bind to receptor sites normally occupied by acetylcholine; depolarizing muscle relaxants, e.g. *suxamethonium, mimic the action of acetylcholine but *depolarization is prolonged.... muscle relaxant

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