True or False: Succinylcholine is rapidly broken down by AChE at low doses.

Succinylcholine is a neuromuscular blocking agent that acts as a depolarizing agent by mimicking acetylcholine (ACh) at the neuromuscular junction. It binds to nicotinic receptors, causing muscle contraction followed by paralysis. Unlike typical acetylcholine, which is rapidly hydrolyzed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft, succinylcholine is not effectively broken down by AChE.

Instead, succinylcholine is primarily metabolized by plasma cholinesterase (also known as pseudocholinesterase), which is much less efficient than AChE at lower doses. This slower metabolism is what leads to the prolonged effects of succinylcholine in some individuals, particularly those with genetic variations affecting pseudocholinesterase function. As a result, the assertion that succinylcholine is rapidly broken down by AChE at low doses is inaccurate, thus the answer is false.