Myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis is a long-term neuromuscular junction disease that leads to varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness. The most commonly affected muscles are those of the eyes, face, and... Wikipedia

• Specialty:  Neurology
• Symptoms:  Varying degrees muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, trouble talking, trouble walking
• Usual onset:  Women under 40, men over 60
• Duration:  Long term
• Causes:  Autoimmune disease
• Diagnostic method:  Blood tests for specific antibodies, edrophonium test, nerve conduction studies
• Differential diagnosis:  Guillain–Barré syndrome, botulism, organophosphate poisoning, brainstem stroke
• Medication:  Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (neostigmine, pyridostigmine), immunosuppressants
• Treatment:  Medications, surgical removal of the thymus, plasmapheresis
• Frequency:  50 to 200 per million
• Data source:  DuckDuckGo