methacholine
Noun: A synthetic cholinergic drug that mimics the effects of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, primarily used in medical diagnostics. It stimulates activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to increased secretions (like saliva and sweat) and the contraction of smooth muscles (such as those in the airways).
Noun: - Methacholine is administered in a controlled challenge test to diagnose airway hyperresponsiveness, as in asthma. - The patient's bronchoconstriction was induced using methacholine to assess lung function. - Researchers studied the dose-response curve to methacholine in the laboratory.
- "Methacholine challenge test": A specific diagnostic procedure where inhaled methacholine is used to measure how reactive or "twitchy" a person's airways are. A positive result, indicated by a significant drop in lung function, suggests a diagnosis of asthma.
- She underwent a methacholine challenge test to confirm her suspected asthma.
- Mecholyl: A former trademark name for methacholine, now less commonly used.
- The drug, once known as Mecholyl, is now generically called methacholine.
- Parasympathomimetic agent: A broader class of drugs that mimic the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, of which methacholine is a specific example.
- Cholinergic agonist: A substance that activates cholinergic receptors, the same type of receptors that methacholine stimulates.
This word has a highly specific, technical meaning in pharmacology and clinical medicine. It refers exclusively to this particular chemical compound and its diagnostic use. It is not used in general conversation.
- parasympathomimetic drug (trademark Mecholyl) that stimulates secretions and smooth muscle activity