cholinergic crisis

cholinergic crisis,

a pronounced muscular weakness and respiratory paralysis caused by excessive acetylcholine, often apparent in patients suffering from myasthenia gravis as a result of overmedication with anticholinesterase drugs.

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myasthenic crisis

Any of a number of clinical complexes characterized by an acute exacerbation of myasthenia gravis symptoms, which are divided into

Myasthenic crisis

Myasthenic crisis An acute ↑ in requirement for anticholinesterase therapy or refractoriness to same, diagnosed by a Tensilon test, with transient ↓ of symptoms

Cholinergic crisis An acute ↓ in the need for anticholinesterase medication, resulting in 'overmedication' with the customary doses; the Tensilon test exacerbates this form of myasthenic crisis; cholinergic crises may be either

• Muscarinic crisis Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lacrimation, blurred vision, bronchial hypersecretion due to parasympathetic hyperresponse

• Nicotinic crisis Muscle weakness, fasciculations, cramping and dysphagia, due to overdepolarization at the neuromuscular junction.  See Tensilon test  

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