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In many patients with myasthenia gravis, the muscles will improve right after the Tensilon. The maximum benefit only lasts a few minutes. For some types of myasthenia, Tensilon can make the weakness worse.
When the disease gets worse enough to need treatment (myasthenic crisis), there is a brief improvement in muscle strength.
When there is an overdose of anticholinesterase (cholinergic crisis), Tensilon will make the person even weaker.
Sanders DB, Howard JF Jr. Disorders of neuromuscular transmission. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Bradley: Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann Elsevier; 2008:chap 82.
Vincent A, Newsom-Davis J. Disorders of neuromuscular transmission. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 448.
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