Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of icons
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Acetazolamide
- 2 Alemtuzumab
- 3 Almotriptan
- 4 Alteplase
- 5 Amantadine
- 6 Amifampridine
- 7 Amitriptyline
- 8 Apixaban
- 9 Apomorphine
- 10 Aprepitant
- 11 Aripiprazole
- 12 Armodafinil
- 13 Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)
- 14 Azathioprine
- 15 Baclofen
- 16 Benztropine
- 17 Bevacizumab
- 18 Botulinum Toxin Type A
- 19 Botulinum Toxin Type B
- 20 Bromocriptine
- 21 Bupropion
- 22 Carbamazepine
- 23 Carisoprodol
- 24 Carmustine
- 25 Chlorpromazine
- 26 Citalopram
- 27 Clobazam
- 28 Clonazepam
- 29 Clonidine
- 30 Clopidogrel
- 31 Clozapine
- 32 Corticotropin
- 33 Cyclobenzaprine
- 34 Cyclophosphamide
- 35 Cyclosporine (Ciclosporin)
- 36 Cyproheptadine
- 37 Dabigatran Etexilate
- 38 Dalfampridine
- 39 Dantrolene
- 40 Desvenlafaxine
- 41 Dexamethasone
- 42 Dextromethorphan/Quinidine
- 43 Diazepam
- 44 Diclofenac
- 45 Dihydroergotamine
- 46 Dimethyl Fumarate
- 47 Dipyridamole and Aspirin
- 48 Donepezil
- 49 Droperidol
- 50 Droxidopa
- 51 Duloxetine
- 52 Edoxaban
- 53 Edrophonium
- 54 Eletriptan
- 55 Entacapone
- 56 Escitalopram
- 57 Eslicarbazepine Acetate
- 58 Ethosuximide
- 59 Everolimus
- 60 Ezogabine
- 61 Felbamate
- 62 Fingolimod
- 63 Flunarizine
- 64 Frovatriptan
- 65 Gabapentin
- 66 Galantamine
- 67 Glatiramer Acetate
- 68 Guanfacine
- 69 Haloperidol
- 70 Heparin
- 71 Indomethacin
- 72 Interferon-Β
- 73 Intravenous Immunoglobulin (Ivig)
- 74 Lacosamide
- 75 Lamotrigine
- 76 Levetiracetam
- 77 Levodopa and Carbidopa
- 78 Levomilnacipran
- 79 Lidocaine
- 80 Lithium
- 81 Mannitol
- 82 Meclizine
- 83 Memantine
- 84 Metaxalone
- 85 Methocarbamol
- 86 Methotrexate
- 87 Methylergonovine
- 88 Metoclopramide
- 89 Mexiletine
- 90 Milnacipran
- 91 Mirtazapine
- 92 Mitoxantrone
- 93 Modafinil
- 94 Mycophenolate Mofetil
- 95 Nabiximols
- 96 Naratriptan
- 97 Natalizumab
- 98 Netupitant/Palonosetron
- 99 Nimodipine
- 100 Nortriptyline
- 101 Olanzapine
- 102 Ondansetron
- 103 Oxcarbazepine
- 104 Penicillamine
- 105 Perampanel
- 106 Phenobarbital
- 107 Phenytoin and Fosphenytoin
- 108 Pizotifen
- 109 Pramipexole
- 110 Prednisone
- 111 Pregabalin
- 112 Primidone
- 113 Prochlorperazine
- 114 Promethazine
- 115 Propranolol
- 116 Pyridostigmine
- 117 Quetiapine
- 118 Quinine Sulfate
- 119 Ramelteon
- 120 Rasagiline
- 121 Reserpine
- 122 Riluzole
- 123 Rituximab
- 124 Rivaroxaban
- 125 Rivastigmine
- 126 Rizatriptan
- 127 Ropinirole
- 128 Rotigotine Transdermal System
- 129 Rufinamide
- 130 Selegiline
- 131 Sodium Oxybate
- 132 Sumatriptan
- 133 Suvorexant
- 134 Tasimelteon
- 135 Temozolomide
- 136 Teriflunomide
- 137 Tetrabenazine
- 138 Tiagabine
- 139 Timolol
- 140 Tizanidine
- 141 Topiramate
- 142 Trientine Hydrochloride
- 143 Trihexyphenidyl
- 144 Valproic Acid
- 145 Venlafaxine
- 146 Verapamil
- 147 Vigabatrin
- 148 Vilazodone
- 149 Vortioxetine Hydrobromide
- 150 Warfarin
- 151 Zolmitriptan
- 152 Zonisamide
- List of Abbreviations
- Index by Drug Name
- Index by Use
- Index by Class
116 - Pyridostigmine
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 October 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of icons
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Acetazolamide
- 2 Alemtuzumab
- 3 Almotriptan
- 4 Alteplase
- 5 Amantadine
- 6 Amifampridine
- 7 Amitriptyline
- 8 Apixaban
- 9 Apomorphine
- 10 Aprepitant
- 11 Aripiprazole
- 12 Armodafinil
- 13 Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)
- 14 Azathioprine
- 15 Baclofen
- 16 Benztropine
- 17 Bevacizumab
- 18 Botulinum Toxin Type A
- 19 Botulinum Toxin Type B
- 20 Bromocriptine
- 21 Bupropion
- 22 Carbamazepine
- 23 Carisoprodol
- 24 Carmustine
- 25 Chlorpromazine
- 26 Citalopram
- 27 Clobazam
- 28 Clonazepam
- 29 Clonidine
- 30 Clopidogrel
- 31 Clozapine
- 32 Corticotropin
- 33 Cyclobenzaprine
- 34 Cyclophosphamide
- 35 Cyclosporine (Ciclosporin)
- 36 Cyproheptadine
- 37 Dabigatran Etexilate
- 38 Dalfampridine
- 39 Dantrolene
- 40 Desvenlafaxine
- 41 Dexamethasone
- 42 Dextromethorphan/Quinidine
- 43 Diazepam
- 44 Diclofenac
- 45 Dihydroergotamine
- 46 Dimethyl Fumarate
- 47 Dipyridamole and Aspirin
- 48 Donepezil
- 49 Droperidol
- 50 Droxidopa
- 51 Duloxetine
- 52 Edoxaban
- 53 Edrophonium
- 54 Eletriptan
- 55 Entacapone
- 56 Escitalopram
- 57 Eslicarbazepine Acetate
- 58 Ethosuximide
- 59 Everolimus
- 60 Ezogabine
- 61 Felbamate
- 62 Fingolimod
- 63 Flunarizine
- 64 Frovatriptan
- 65 Gabapentin
- 66 Galantamine
- 67 Glatiramer Acetate
- 68 Guanfacine
- 69 Haloperidol
- 70 Heparin
- 71 Indomethacin
- 72 Interferon-Β
- 73 Intravenous Immunoglobulin (Ivig)
- 74 Lacosamide
- 75 Lamotrigine
- 76 Levetiracetam
- 77 Levodopa and Carbidopa
- 78 Levomilnacipran
- 79 Lidocaine
- 80 Lithium
- 81 Mannitol
- 82 Meclizine
- 83 Memantine
- 84 Metaxalone
- 85 Methocarbamol
- 86 Methotrexate
- 87 Methylergonovine
- 88 Metoclopramide
- 89 Mexiletine
- 90 Milnacipran
- 91 Mirtazapine
- 92 Mitoxantrone
- 93 Modafinil
- 94 Mycophenolate Mofetil
- 95 Nabiximols
- 96 Naratriptan
- 97 Natalizumab
- 98 Netupitant/Palonosetron
- 99 Nimodipine
- 100 Nortriptyline
- 101 Olanzapine
- 102 Ondansetron
- 103 Oxcarbazepine
- 104 Penicillamine
- 105 Perampanel
- 106 Phenobarbital
- 107 Phenytoin and Fosphenytoin
- 108 Pizotifen
- 109 Pramipexole
- 110 Prednisone
- 111 Pregabalin
- 112 Primidone
- 113 Prochlorperazine
- 114 Promethazine
- 115 Propranolol
- 116 Pyridostigmine
- 117 Quetiapine
- 118 Quinine Sulfate
- 119 Ramelteon
- 120 Rasagiline
- 121 Reserpine
- 122 Riluzole
- 123 Rituximab
- 124 Rivaroxaban
- 125 Rivastigmine
- 126 Rizatriptan
- 127 Ropinirole
- 128 Rotigotine Transdermal System
- 129 Rufinamide
- 130 Selegiline
- 131 Sodium Oxybate
- 132 Sumatriptan
- 133 Suvorexant
- 134 Tasimelteon
- 135 Temozolomide
- 136 Teriflunomide
- 137 Tetrabenazine
- 138 Tiagabine
- 139 Timolol
- 140 Tizanidine
- 141 Topiramate
- 142 Trientine Hydrochloride
- 143 Trihexyphenidyl
- 144 Valproic Acid
- 145 Venlafaxine
- 146 Verapamil
- 147 Vigabatrin
- 148 Vilazodone
- 149 Vortioxetine Hydrobromide
- 150 Warfarin
- 151 Zolmitriptan
- 152 Zonisamide
- List of Abbreviations
- Index by Drug Name
- Index by Use
- Index by Class
Summary
THERAPEUTICS
Brands
• Mestinon, Mestinon Timespan, Regonal
Generic?
• Yes
Class
• Cholinesterase inhibitor
Commonly Prescribed for
(FDA approved in bold)
• Myasthenia gravis (MG)
• Reversal of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants
• Orthostatic hypotension
How the Drug Works
• It is a quaternary amine that reversibly inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme and improves the neuromuscular transmission in MG. It is poorly absorbed in the gut and does not cross the BBB
How Long Until It Works
• Orally about 30 minutes, IM form within 15 minutes, IV within 5 minutes
If It Works
• Continue to use to reduce symptoms of MG. Often combined with disease-modifying therapy such as immunosuppression or thymectomy
If It Doesn't Work
• Increase to the maximal dose: if no effect, question the diagnosis of MG. Remove potential offending medications. If not controlled at 240–360mg daily, consider immunomodulating treatment
Best Augmenting Combos for Partial Response or Treatment-Resistance
• Generally not combined with other symptomatic treatments. For refractory MG, add immunotherapy
Tests
• None
ADVERSE EFFECTS (AEs)
How the Drug Causes AEs
• Cholinergic properties of the drug
Notable AEs
• Muscarinic AEs include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, increased salivation, miosis, increased bronchial secretions, rash, worsening of bronchial asthma, and diaphoresis. Nicotinic AEs, including fasciculation and muscle cramping, are less bothersome
Life-Threatening or Dangerous AEs
• Bradycardia – possibly leading to hypotension – is most common with IV use
• Cholinergic crisis – worsening weakness, usually with overdose of drug and severe cholinergic AEs – is very rare
Weight Gain
• Unusual
Sedation
• Unusual
What to Do About AEs
• Lower to tolerable dose, take with food
Best Augmenting Agents to Reduce AEs
• Treat GI AEs with anticholinergics that do not affect nicotinic receptors (so no weakness): glycopyrrolate 1mg, propantheline 15mg, or hyoscyamine sulfate 0.125mg. Use 3 times a day or take with each pyridostigmine dose. For diarrhea try loperamide or diphenoxylate hydrochloride-atropine. To prevent bradycardia and excessive secretions with IV form, use atropine 0.6–1.2mg IV immediately prior
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Essential NeuropharmacologyThe Prescriber's Guide, pp. 428 - 431Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015