Chapter 19: Toxicology

Question 1

What is the first question you should ask a person suspected of ingesting a poison such a lye?

Answer 1

what substances did you take

Question 2

Opioids are medications with actions similar to:

Answer 2

morphine

Question 3

Essentially, poisons get into the patient’s body by inhalation, injection, ingestion, and:

Answer 3

absorption

Question 4

oisons that come in contact with the surface of the body can affect the patient in many ways. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between contact absorption and:

Answer 4

contact burns

Question 5

If local protocol allows you to administer activated charcoal, you should administer the premixed suspension in a

Answer 5

covered cup with a straw

Question 6

Which of the four avenues of poisoning can be the most worrisome?

Answer 6

injection

Question 7

Treatment of poison focuses on support. The EMT must assess and maintain the ABCs, being sure to monitor the patients

Answer 7

breathing

Question 8

The “street” name for crack cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine is:

Answer 8

speed

Question 9

________ is one of the most addicting substances known.

Answer 9

cocaine

Question 10

Signs and symptoms of sympathomimetics include all of the following except:

• hypertension.
• tachycardia.
• pinpoint pupils.
• hyperthermia.

Answer 10

-pinpoint pupils.

Question 11

Approximately what percentage of poisonings is by mouth?

Answer 11

80%

Question 12

What is the most commonly abused drug in the United States?

Answer 12

alcohol

Question 13

___ poisoning affects 5 million children and adults per year

Answer 13

acute

Question 14

___ poisoning is much more common

Answer 14

chronic

Question 15

rates of death caused by poisoning have ____ in children

Answer 15

DEC

Question 16

rates of death caused by poisoning have ____ in adults

Answer 16

INC

Question 17

____ is the study of toxic or poisonous substances

Answer 17

toxicology

Question 18

a _____ is any substance whose chemical action can damage body structures or impair body function

Answer 18

poison

Question 19

common complication of substance abuse is

Answer 19

overdose

Question 20

overdose is when a patient

Answer 20

takes a toxic dose of a drug

Question 21

your primary responsibility with a poisoned patient is to

Answer 21

recognize that poisoning has occurred

Question 22

once you recognize that poisoning has occurred you should

Answer 22

notify medical control and begin emergency treatment

Question 23

when trying to determine the nature of the poison look around the immediate area for

Answer 23

overturned bottles, needles, scattered pills, overturned plant

Question 24

____ can provide critical info like:
name and concentration of drug
ingredients
number of pills in bottle originally

Answer 24

containers

Question 25

if the patient vomits examine the contents for ____ and collect the vomitus in a plastic bag so it can be analyzed by the hospital

Answer 25

pill fragments

Question 26

most important treatment for poisoning is ____ or _____ the poisonous agent

Answer 26

diluting or physically removing the poisonous agent

Question 27

with inhalation poisoning move the patient into

Answer 27

fresh air

Question 28

some patients may need _____ after removal from the toxic environment

Answer 28

decontamination

Question 29

use a ______ to protect yourself

Answer 29

self contained breathing apparatus

Question 30

``` in _____ poisons affect the patient by skin damage chemical burns rashes/lesions systemic effects ```

Answer 30

absorption

Question 31

for chemical agents in eyes irrigate for ____ min for acids and ____ min for alkalis

Answer 31

5-10 min for acids | 15-20 min for alkalis

Question 32

irrigate the contact area with _____

Answer 32

water

Question 33

only time you should not irrigate the contact area with water is id

Answer 33

they have been contaminated with a poison that reacts violently with water

Question 34

ingested poisoning is often ____ in children and ____ in adults

Answer 34

accidental in children and deliberate in adults

Question 35

goal with ingested poisons is to

Answer 35

rapidly remove as much poison as possible from the GI tract

Question 36

two interventions for ingested poison (need med control approval)

Answer 36

syrup of ipecac and activated charcoal

Question 37

contraindications for activated charcoal

Answer 37

acid/alkali/petroleum ingestion dec LOC inability to swallow

Question 38

usual dose of activated charcoal is

Answer 38

1 g/kg body weight

Question 39

____ are impossible to remove or dilute and are usually absorbed quickly into the body and cause intense local tissue destruction

Answer 39

injected poisons

Question 40

consider _____ before transport

Answer 40

decontamination

Question 41

in the secondary assessment focus on the

Answer 41

area of the body involved with the poisoning or route of exposure

Question 42

dilute airborne exposures with

Answer 42

O2

Question 43

remove contact exposures with

Answer 43

copious amounts of water

Question 44

_____ is the need for the amount of a substance over time to reach the same desired effect

Answer 44

tolerance

Question 45

effect of alcohol

Answer 45

depresses the CNS

Question 46

worry about ______ in patients who took opioids

Answer 46

respiratory depression

Question 47

MDMA, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, PCP are all

Answer 47

sympathomimetics

Question 48

DUMBELS

Answer 48

``` Defecation Urination Meiosis Bronchorrhea Emesis Lacrimation Salivation ```

Question 49

acteaminophen overdose damages the

Answer 49

liver