Suxamethonium chloride is a medication used as a muscle relaxant in anaesthesia, intensive care and emergency medicine. It is also known as suxamethonium or succinylcholine. It works by causing paralysis of the muscles, stopping them from contracting. Suxamethonium is used to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation. It is also used to diagnose myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder.
Suxamethonium chloride, also known as suxamethonium or succinylcholine, is a medication used to cause short-term paralysis as part of general anesthesia. It is a depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent, which means it works by blocking the action of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that nerves use to tell muscles to contract. This causes paralysis of the muscles, including the respiratory muscles. Suxamethonium chloride is typically used to facilitate tracheal intubation (inserting a breathing tube into the windpipe) or to provide muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.
Suxamethonium chloride is a short-acting medication, with effects typically lasting for 2-6 minutes. It is administered intravenously (into a vein) or intramuscularly (into a muscle).
Common side effects of suxamethonium chloride include muscle pain, increased potassium levels in the blood, and malignant hyperthermia (a rare but serious reaction to anesthesia). Suxamethonium chloride is not suitable for everyone and should not be used in people with certain medical conditions, such as myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder) or pseudocholinesterase deficiency (a genetic condition that can cause prolonged paralysis).