Volume 2, Number 1, December 2007

Anticholinergics: How do they Work?
Carol Kelly

Anticholinergic drugs are bronchodilators that act by blocking acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter for the parasympathetic nervous system. By blocking parasympathetic stimulation, anticholinergics reduce cholinergic tone, therefore producing bronchodilation. In this article we review when and how these drugs should be used. What are their potential benefits and what should we tell patients who need them?

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