🦴 Musculoskeletal & Dermatology🟢 BasicNeuromuscular Blockade

Muscle Relaxants

Drugs that block neuromuscular transmission to relax skeletal muscle.

Key points

Depolarising: suxamethonium - fast onset and offset for rapid-sequence intubation; risks hyperkalaemia and malignant hyperthermia.
Non-depolarising (vecuronium, rocuronium, atracurium) competitively block the ACh receptor.
Reverse a non-depolarising block with neostigmine plus an antimuscarinic where appropriate, or sugammadex specifically for rocuronium or vecuronium.
Always ventilate - relaxants paralyse the diaphragm.

Sux depolarises (fast); the 'curoniums' compete (reversible).

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🦴 Musculoskeletal & Dermatology🟢 BasicNeuromuscular Blockade

Drugs that block neuromuscular transmission to relax skeletal muscle.

Depolarising: suxamethonium - fast onset and offset for rapid-sequence intubation; risks hyperkalaemia and malignant hyperthermia.
Non-depolarising (vecuronium, rocuronium, atracurium) competitively block the ACh receptor.
Reverse a non-depolarising block with neostigmine plus an antimuscarinic where appropriate, or sugammadex specifically for rocuronium or vecuronium.
Always ventilate - relaxants paralyse the diaphragm.

Sux depolarises (fast); the 'curoniums' compete (reversible).