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A cholinergic drug is classified as a parasympathomimetic agent, meaning that it mimics the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling bodily functions when at rest. Cholinergic drugs work by stimulating the receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, leading to effects such as decreased heart rate, increased glandular secretions, and enhanced gastrointestinal motility. These effects are characteristic of the rest-and-digest responses the parasympathetic system facilitates in the body.

In contrast, sympathomimetic drugs are those that mimic the functions of the sympathetic nervous system, typically leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and preparing the body for a 'fight or flight' response. Sympatholytic drugs inhibit the effects of the sympathetic nervous system. Adrenergic drugs specifically act on adrenergic receptors and can include both sympathomimetic and sympatholytic activities, depending on their specific action. Given this context, the classification of cholinergic drugs as parasympathomimetics directly reflects their action and the physiological changes they induce.