cholinergic crisis

An over-stimulation at a neuromuscular junction due to an excess of acetylcholine (ACh), as of a result of the inactivity (perhaps even inhibition) of acetylcholinesterase, caused by nerve gas, in patients with myasthenia gravis who have overdosed on cholinergic agents, or in surgical candidates, due to an excess of cholinesterase inhibitor given to reverse surgical muscle paralysis

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

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  . ;.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

cholinergic crisis

A state caused by over-activity of ACETYLCHOLINE due to overdosage of drugs that block the enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine (ANTICHOLINESTERASE drugs). There is muscle twitching and paralysis, sweating, salivation and pallor and the pupils are very small. These are the effects of military ‘nerve gases’.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005