Anesthesiology 4

A patient underwent a surgical procedure of 2 h. Anesthesia was provided by isoflurane, supplemented by intravenous midazolam and nondepolarizing muscle relaxant. At the end of the procedure, a low dose of atropine was administered followed by pyridostigmine.

 

Questions and tasks:

 

1. Describe the differences in neuromuscular blockade between depolarizing and non-depolarizing skeletal muscle relaxants and specify its major representatives

 

2. The main reason for administering atropine was to: (choose the most correct answer and explain your decision)

a) enhance the action of pyridostigmine

b) prevent spasm of gastrointestinal smooth muscle

c) prevent activation of cardiac muscarinic receptors

d) provide postoperative analgesia

e) reverse the effects of the muscle relaxant

 

3. Atropine would probably not be needed during reversal of a nondepolarizing relaxant action if the agent used was: (choose the most correct answer and explain your decision)

a) atracurium

b) mivacurium

c) pancuronium

d) tubocurarine

e) vecuronioum

 

4. Characteristics of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade include which of the following? (choose the most correct answer and explain your decision)

a) block of histamine receptors

b) block of post-tetanic potentiating

c) muscle fasciculations during onset of block

d) poorly sustained tetanic tension

e) stimulation of autonomic ganglia

 

Solution