13 - Poisons And Poisoning

Question 1

Typical signs of drug poisoning

Answer 1

History - patients normally tell truth 
Pupils 
- dilated - tricyclic antidepressants 
- Constricted - morphine
Skin
-sweating  - increased - amphetamine 
Odour 
-almonds - cyanide 
Blood 
-paracetamol, ethanol 
Urine 
-opiods

Question 2

Treatment ABCs

Answer 2

airway, breathing, circulation

Question 3

Ways to decrease absorption

Answer 3

activated charcoal - can bind drug in stomach and decrease amount absorbed (herbicide)
Emesis - makes u want to vomit

Question 4

Ways to increase elimination

Answer 4

Activated charcol
Haemoperfusion - theophylline
Haemodialysis - methanol

Question 5

Specific antidote

Answer 5

Very few that work
Binds to metabolights to stop damage
-counteract effect of poison
-e.g Chelation - desferrioxamine - iron (haemocromatosis)
-Paracetamol hepatotoxicity - NAPQ1 , CYP2E1, can cause liver damage - glutathione can inactivate this metabolight
-N-acetyl cysteine - supplies SH to make more glutathionie
-However only effective at certain times - when peak conc - this is 4 hours after you have injuced it