Neuromuscular-blocking Drug - Classification

Classification

These drugs fall into two groups:

• Non-depolarizing blocking agents: These agents constitute the majority of the clinically-relevant neuromuscular blockers. They act by competitively blocking the binding of ACh to its receptors, and in some cases, they also directly block the ionotropic activity of the ACh receptors.

• Depolarizing blocking agents: These agents act by depolarizing the plasma membrane of the skeletal muscle fiber. This persistent depolarization makes the muscle fiber resistant to further stimulation by ACh.