Which treatment is used to reverse nerve agent effects?

The treatment used to reverse nerve agent effects is atropine. Nerve agents, such as sarin or VX, inhibit the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, leading to an accumulation of acetylcholine at nerve synapses. This results in overstimulation of the nervous system, causing various symptoms, including muscle twitching, respiratory distress, and potentially fatal convulsions.

Atropine acts as an anticholinergic agent, which means it blocks the effects of acetylcholine by binding to its receptors. By doing so, atropine alleviates the symptoms caused by nerve agents by counteracting their overstimulation of the nerve endings. Administering atropine helps to restore normal nerve function and reduces secretions from the salivary and respiratory glands, which can be particularly beneficial in treating the life-threatening effects of nerve agent exposure.

Understanding the context of other treatments clarifies why they are not effective for reversing nerve agent effects. For example, pyridostigmine is a drug used to help protect against the effects of nerve agents but does not reverse them once poisoning has occurred. Diazepam is primarily used to manage seizures that may result from nerve agent exposure but doesn't counteract the underlying problems caused by the agents. Calcium glu