A slowly hydrolyzed muscarinic agonist with no nicotinic effects. Bethanechol
is generally used to increase smooth muscle tone, as in the GI tract following abdominal
surgery or in urinary retention in the absence of obstruction.
It may cause hypotension, cardiac rate changes, and bronchial spasms.
Neurogenic Bladder
Dysfunction of the urinary bladder due to disease of the central or peripheral nervous system
pathways involved in the control of micturition. This is often associated with spinal cord diseases,
but may also be caused by brain diseases or peripheral nerve diseases.
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Pharmacologic Action
Parasympathomimetic
Drugs that mimic the effects of parasympathetic nervous system activity.
Included here are drugs that directly stimulate muscarinic receptors and drugs
that potentiate cholinergic activity, usually by slowing the breakdown of
acetylcholine. Drugs that stimulate both sympathetic and parasympathetic
postganglionic neurons are not included here.
Muscarinic Antagonist
Drugs that bind to but do not activate muscarinic cholinergic receptors,
thereby blocking the actions of endogenous acetylcholine or exogenous agonists.
Muscarinic antagonists have widespread effects including actions on the iris and
ciliary muscle of the eye, the heart and blood vessels, secretions of the respiratory
tract, GI system, and salivary glands, GI motility, urinary bladder tone, and the
central nervous system. Antagonists that discriminate among the various muscarinic
receptor subtypes and
might allow better control of peripheral and central actions are under development.
