Vascular calcification is common in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and is associated with poorer outcomes.
Because these medicines may take some time to have an effect on breathing, they usually are taken on a regular schedule. They are used for both short- and long-term relief of symptoms. There are two types of anticholinergics: short-acting and long-acting. The short-acting type relieves symptoms and the long-acting type helps prevent breathing problems. Short-acting anticholinergics are used for treating stable COPD in a person whose symptoms come and go (intermittent symptoms).
A drug may be classified by the chemical type of the active ingredient or by the way it is used to treat a particular condition. Each drug can be classified into one or more drug classes. Anticholinergic bronchodilators (or muscarinic receptor antagonists) block the parasympathetic nerve reflexes that cause the airways to constrict, so allow the air passages to remain open. Muscarinic receptor antagonists bind to muscarinic receptors and inhibit acetylcholine mediated bronchospasm. Anticholinergic bronchodilators are used more to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than to treat asthma.