The nurse is caring for a patient who has myasthenia gravis (MG)and is receiving pyridostigmine bromide (Mestinon).The nurse notes ptosis of both eyelids and observes that the patient has difficulty swallowing.What action will the nurse perform next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Overdosing and underdoing of AChE inhibitors have similar symptoms: muscle weakness,dyspnea,and dysphagia.Edrophonium may be used to diagnose MG or to distinguish between myasthenic crisis and cholinergic crisis since it is a very short-acting AChE inhibitor.When given,if the symptoms are alleviated,the cause is myasthenic crisis; if symptoms worsen,it is cholinergic crisis.Since patients can have similar symptoms,the nurse cannot report one or the other to the provider without more information.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Has Myasthenia