Question

A client with suspected myasthenia gravis is to undergo a test with edrophonium. the client asks if edrophonium can be used to treat myasthenia gravis. what is the nurse's best response? the short half-life of edrophonium makes it impractical for long-term use with repeated edrophonium use, immunosuppression may occur dry mouth and abdominal cramps may be intolerable adverse effects it isn't available in an oral form

Answer 1

The correct answer is: the short half-life of edrophonium makes it impractical for long-term.

Edrophonium is used for the diagnostic of myasthenia gravis. In patient with myasthenia gravis, the body produces autoantibodies which inhibit nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the neuromuscular junction. Edrophonium, on the other hand, is acetylcholinesterase inhibitor which blocks the effect of acetylcholinesterase enzymes (AcH stays in synaptic cleft).

Substitution for the edrophonium is pyridostigmine which is also acetylcholinesterase inhibitor but with long-term maintenance.