Anticholinesterases are drugs used surgically to antagonise the effect of true cholinesterase which degrades acetylcholine at cholinergic synapses. Cholinergic transmission is thus enhanced. This permits the competitive antagonism of a neuromuscular-blocking drug and thus reversal of paralysis e.g. in operative general anaesthesia, or with ventilation.
The principal drug for this use is neostigmine.
Anticholinesterases are also used by physicians in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis - the edrophonium test.
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.