title: Cholinesterase. Its significance in anaesthetic practice.
abstract: Plasma cholinesterase is an enzyme which has importance to the anaesthetist primarily for its role in the metabolism of suxamethonium, although other anaesthetic related drugs that this enzyme metabolises are also increasingly important. In this article we review current thoughts on the function, profile and chemistry of plasma cholinesterase. Causes of variations in the activity of the enzyme are described and the basis of genetic variations is explained.
authors.affiliation: Royal London Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Britten
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000378:metabolism; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism; D000077590:Mivacurium; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D007546:Isoquinolines; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D000077590:Mivacurium; D002802:Cholinesterases; D003042:Cocaine; D013390:Succinylcholine