Tensilon test

A medicine called Tensilon (also called edrophonium) is given during this test. The health care provider gives the medicine through one of your veins (intravenously, through an IV). You may also be given a medicine called atropine before receiving Tensilon to reduce chances of side effects. Your heart rate may be…

No special preparation is usually necessary. Follow your provider's instructions about how to prepare.

You will feel a sharp prick as the IV needle is inserted. The medicine may cause a feeling of a churning of the stomach or a slight feeling of decreased heart rate, especially if atropine is not given first.

The test helps: Diagnose myasthenia gravis Tell the difference between myasthenia gravis and other similar brain and nervous system conditions Monitor treatment with oral anticholinesterase drugs The test may also be done for conditions such as Lambert-Eaton syndrome . This is a disorder in which faulty communication…

In many people with myasthenia gravis, the muscle weakness will improve right after receiving Tensilon. The improvement lasts only a few minutes. For some types of myasthenia, Tensilon may make the weakness worse. When the disease gets worse enough to need treatment (myasthenic crisis), there is a brief improvement in…

The medicine used during the test may cause side effects, including low heart rate, fainting, nausea, or breathing failure. This is why the test is done by a provider in a medical setting.

Guptill JT, Sanders DB. Disorders of neuromuscular transmission. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 108. Naji A, Owens ML. Edrophonium. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls…