Cholinergic medications are a category of pharmaceutical agents that act upon the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, the primary neurotransmitter within the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). There are two broad categories of cholinergic drugs: direct-acting and indirect-acting. The direct-acting cholinergic agonists work by directly binding to and activating the muscarinic receptors. Examples of direct-acting cholinergic agents include choline esters (acetylcholine, methacholine, carbachol, bethanechol) and alkaloids (muscarine, pilocarpine, cevimeline). Indirect-acting cholinergic agents increase the availability of acetylcholine at the cholinergic receptors. These include reversible agents (physostigmine, neostigmine, pyridostigmine, edrophonium, rivastigmine, donepezil, galantamine) and irreversible agents (echothiophate, parathion, malathion, diazinon, sarin, soman). This activity reviews the mechanism of action, adverse event profile, toxicity, dosing, pharmacodynamics, and monitoring of cholinergic agents, which is a topic of significant complexity and with far-reaching clinical implications, as is pertinent for members of the interprofessional team in dealing with the effects of these agents, both therapeutic and toxic.
- Provider:StatPearls, LLC
- Activity Link: https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/19472
- Start Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- End Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- Credit Details: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™️: 1.5 hours
Nursing: 1.5 hours
Pharmacy: 1.5 hours - MOC Credit Details: ABS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABS)
ABPATH - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABPATH)
ABA - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABA)
ABTS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABTS)
ABIM - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Medical Knowledge (ABIM)
ABS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABS)
ABP - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (ABP)
ABOHNS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABOHNS)
ABTS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABTS) - Commercial Support: No
- Activity Type: Enduring Material
- CME Finder Type: Online Learning
- Fee to Participate: Variable
- Measured Outcome: Learner Knowledge, Learner/Team Competence
- Provider Ship: Directly Provided
- Registration: Open to all
- Specialty: Adolescent Medicine, Ambulatory/Outpatient, Cardiac Anesthesia, Cardiovascular Disease, Chemical Pathology, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Operative Anesthesia, General Otolaryngology, General Pediatrics, General Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neuro Anesthesia, Pediatric Anesthesia, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Pulmonology, Pulmonary Disease, Surgical Critical Care, Thoracic Anesthesia