Anticholinergic bronchodilators

What are Anticholinergic bronchodilators?

Anticholinergic bronchodilators (or muscarinic receptor antagonists) block the parasympathetic nerve reflexes that cause the airways to constrict, so allow the air passages to remain open. Muscarinic receptor antagonists bind to muscarinic receptors and inhibit acetylcholine mediated bronchospasm.

Anticholinergic bronchodilators are used more to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than to treat asthma.

The 3 most widely used bronchodilators are: beta-2 agonists, such as salbutamol, salmeterol, formoterol and vilanterol. anticholinergics, such as ipratropium and tiotropium.

Anticholinergics are the bronchodilators of choice in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They work by blocking muscarinic receptors in airway smooth muscle.

Acetylcholine is the primary parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the airways, where it not only induces bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion, but also regulates airway inflammation and remodeling. In this review, we propose that these effects are all primarily mediated via the muscarinic M3 receptor.