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Active category:
Neurology |
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Contents
Procedure description: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
Patient preparation: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
Recovery: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
Note: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
Conditions: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
Common Synonyms: Miastenia Gravis Treatment
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| Procedure description: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body.
Myasthenia gravis is most commonly presented with muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest.
Muscles that control eye and eyelid movements, facial expression, chewing, talking, and swallowing are often, but not always, involved. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected.
Myasthenia gravis is caused by a defect in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles. Normally when impulses travel down the nerve, the nerve endings release a neurotransmitter substance called acetylcholine.
In myasthenia gravis, antibodies produced by the body's own immune system block, alter, or destroy the receptors for acetylcholine. The first noticeable symptoms of myasthenia gravis may be weakness of the eye muscles, difficulty in swallowing, or slurred speech.
Symptoms vary in type and severity. Myasthenia gravis is not directly inherited nor is it contagious.
MIASTENIA GRAVIS TREATMENT OPTIONS
Myasthenia gravis can be controlled, not cured.
Some medications improve neuromuscular transmission and increase muscle strength, and some suppress the production of abnormal antibodies.
These medications must be used with careful medical followup because they may cause major side effects.
Thymectomy, the surgical removal of the thymus gland (which often is abnormal in myasthenia gravis patients), improves symptoms in certain patients and may cure some individuals, possibly by re-balancing the immune system.
Other miastenia gravis treatments include plasmapheresis.
Plasmapheresis is a procedure in which abnormal antibodies are removed from the blood.
High-dose intravenous immune globulin, is also used in combination with plasmapheresis in order to temporarily modifie the immune system and provides the body with normal antibodies from donated blood. |
| Patient preparation: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
| The first steps in diagnosing myasthenia gravis include a review of the individual's medical history and physical and neurological examinations. |
| Recovery: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
With treatment, the outlook for most patients with myasthenia is bright: they can expect to lead normal or nearly normal lives. Some case of myasthenia gravis may go into remission temporarily, and muscle weakness may disappear so that medications can be discontinued. In a few cases, the severe weakness of myasthenia gravis may cause respiratory failure, which requires immediate emergency medical care.
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| Note: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
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| Conditions: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
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| Common Synonyms: Miastenia Gravis Treatment |
| Miastenia Gravis Management, Miastenia Gravis Medications, Thymectomy, Plasmapheresis |
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