This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Parasympatholytic is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
A parasympatholytic element, also referred to as anticholinergics, abolishes the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. The term parasympatholytic typically refers to the effect of a drug, although some poisons, such as organophosphates (often found in pesticides) act to block the parasympathetic nervous system as well.
The parasympathetic nervous system is often colloquially described as the "Feed and Breed" or "Rest and Digest" portion of the Autonomic Nervous System. The parasympathetic nervous system becomes strongly engaged during or after a meal and during times when the body is at rest.
Parasympatholytic drugs are sometimes used to treat slow heart rhythms (bradycardias or bradydysrhythmias) caused by myocardial infarctions or other pathologies, as well as to treat conditions which cause bronchioles in the lung to constrict, such as asthma. By blocking the parasympathetic nervous system, parasympatholytic drugs can increase heart rate in patients with bradycardic heart rhythms, and open up airways and reduce mucous production in patients suffering from asthma.
External links
 |
This medical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 10 April 2008, at 22:39.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Parasympatholytic".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.