RN Exam Practice
Physiological AdaptationQuestion 625 of 2368

A client with myasthenia gravis takes pyridostigmine. About 45 minutes after a dose, the client has severe muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. Which complication should the nurse suspect?

  1. Cholinergic crisis
  2. Serotonin syndrome
  3. Reye's syndrome
  4. Opioid withdrawal syndrome
Show answer

Correct answer: Cholinergic crisis

Overdose of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors can cause cholinergic crisis, usually 30 to 60 minutes after a dose, with severe weakness that can lead to respiratory paralysis.

Source: Nursing Pharmacology, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Analgesics & Musculoskeletal System: Myasthenia Gravis. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Physiological Adaptation"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026