Edrophonium Test - Tensilon Test

What do the test results mean?

Normally, tired muscles will not respond after tensilon is given. However, if a person has myasthenia gravis, then the muscles will improve right away in response to the tensilon.

Sometimes a person with myasthenia gravis has a myasthenic crisis. That is, his or her muscle weakness suddenly gets worse. This requires anticholinesterase therapy. When tensilon is given to a person who has myasthenic crisis, muscle strength improves for a short time.

Sometimes a person will experience an overdose of anticholinesterase therapy. This is known as a cholinergic crisis. In this case, tensilon will cause the muscles to become even weaker.