Major advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis in recent years. This means that most patients with MG can lead normal or nearly normal, productive lives. Although the disorder cannot be cured, the good news is that it can be treated and controlled.

Still, in some cases, the symptoms of myasthenia gravis may worsen. These patients may experience general weakness and disability. Most patients with myasthenia gravis, however, show significant improvement in muscle weakness with proper treatment.

The goal of treatment is complete remission. If you have MG, remission means that you don’t experience any muscle weakness. Some patients enter remission even without treatment. However, it’s good to remember that remission is not a cure. Patients in remission must continue to take precautions to avoid relapses, or the return of symptoms. Myasthenia gravis rarely causes death except from a myasthenic crisis, which occurs when the muscles used for breathing become too weak to allow adequate respiration.

Such a crisis requires emergency medical care; hospitals generally put the patient on a ventilator and medications to help them breathe until normal respiration returns. In some patients a crisis may be brought on by a mild infection; in others, it may be cause by an overdose of an anticholinesterase drug such as Mestinon.

Scientists are continuring their study of the disease to better understand how to treat it. Among other things, they're investigating the cause of the autoimmune response and the tie between the thymus gland and myasthenia gravis. As answers about the disorder emerge, new and better treatments will likely develop as well.

References

First published April 1, 2000
Last updated November 25, 2002
Copyright © 2000 Accordant Health Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Or Find More On:

Back to top of page