The nurse is preparing to administer a drug and learns that it is an indirect-acting cholinergic agonist. The nurse understands that this drug:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists such as neostigmine, pyridostigmine, and edrophonium inhibit the action of cholinesterase, which is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine at the synapse. By inhibiting cholinesterase, these drugs increase the concentration of acetylcholine at the synapse, thus enhancing its action on both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors.

The Nurse Is Preparing to Administer a Drug and Learns