Atropine
AtroPenPubChem CID 174174 · 3D model
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Blocks a chemical messenger called acetylcholine from acting on its receptors throughout the body, which speeds a dangerously slow heartbeat back up and dries up the flood of secretions caused by nerve-agent or pesticide poisoning.
How it works
Atropine blocks a chemical called acetylcholine from doing its normal job at receptors throughout the body. In an emergency, that block speeds a dangerously slow heart back up and dries up the flood of drooling, tearing, and airway secretions caused by nerve-agent or pesticide poisoning. It doesn't fix muscle weakness or breathing-muscle paralysis from those poisons, though — that still needs additional emergency care.
What it’s used for
Atropine's autoinjector brand, AtroPen, is used to treat poisoning from nerve agents or pesticides, buying time until emergency medical care arrives. The same drug, given as a plain injection in hospitals and ambulances, is also a standard emergency treatment for a heart that's beating dangerously slowly.
- Mechanism
- Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, blocks acetylcholine to reverse bradycardia and cholinergic toxicity
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Emergency / Cardiovascular