Antagonists work by:

Antagonists are a class of drugs that work by binding to receptors in the body without activating them, effectively blocking the action of other substances, such as agonists. This means that while they occupy the receptor sites, they do not produce a biological response, thus preventing the receptor from being stimulated. This mechanism is essential in various therapeutic contexts, including the reversal of sedation or anesthesia, where antagonists can restore normal physiological function by counteracting the effects of anesthetic agents.

In contrast, stimulating receptors or inducing general anesthesia would indicate a different class of drugs, typically agonists, that activate receptors to produce a desired effect. Enhancing the effects of agonists also describes a different mechanism, typically seen with other drug categories that can amplify or prolong the action of agonists rather than block receptor activity. Therefore, understanding the unique role of antagonists is crucial in the field of veterinary anesthesiology, where they are often used to counteract the effects of anesthetic drugs after a procedure.