atracurium
English
editEtymology
editFrom atra- (of unknown origin) + -curium (“curare-like substance”).
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
edit- (General American) IPA(key): /ˌæ.tɹəˈkjʊɹ.i.əm/
Noun
editatracurium (uncountable)
- (pharmacology) A muscle relaxant administered intravenously in the form of its besylate C65H82N2O18S2 especially in conjunction with general anesthesia to facilitate insertion of an endotracheal tube or to relax skeletal muscles during surgery or mechanical ventilation. It counteracts the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions by binding to the same receptors it acts upon.
Derived terms
editReferences
edit- “atracurium”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.