Chapter 21- Toxicology Flashcards
Addiction
A state of overwhelming obsession or physical need to continue the use of a substance.
Antidote
A substance that is used to neutralize or counteract a poison
Delirium tremendous (DTs)
A severe withdrawal syndrome seen in alcoholics who are deprived of ethyl alcohol
Characterized by:
- restlessness
- fever
- sweating
- disorientation
- agitation
- and seizures
Can be fatal if untreated
Emesis
Vomiting
Hallucinogen
An agent that produce false perceptions in any one of the five senses.
Hematemesis
Vomiting blood
Hypnotic
A sleep-inducing effect or agent.
Ingestion
Swallowing; taking a substance by mouth
Narcotic
A drug that produces sleep or altered mental consciousness.
Opiate
A subset of opioid family, referring to natural, non-synthetic opioids.
Opioid
A synthetically-produced narcotic medication, drug, or agent similar to the opiate morphine, but not derived from opium; used to relieve pain.
Overdose
An excessive quantity of a drug that, when taken or administered, can have toxic or lethal consequences.
Poison
A substance whose chemical action could damage structures or impair function when introduced into the body.
Sedative
A substance that decreases activity and excitement.
Stimulant
An agent that produces an excited state.
Substance abuse
The misuse of any substance to produce a desired effect
Tolerance
The need for increasing amounts of a drug to obtain the same effect
Toxicology
The study of a toxic or poisonous substances
Toxin
A poison or harmful substance produced by bacteria, animals, or plants.
Material safety data sheet (MSDS)
A form, provided by manufacturers and compounder of chemicals, containing information about the chemicals.
A poison can be introduced into the body in one of four ways:
Inhalation
Absorption (surface contact)
Ingestion
Injection
Is it possible to remove a dilute injected poison from the body?
No
Before you proceed with the treatment of a patient who has been poisoned
Contact medical control
Approximately 80% of all poisons are by ___________. If permitted by local protocol give _______ __________
Ingestion; activated charcoal
People who abuse a substance can develop a
Tolerance or addiction
One of the most commonly abused drugs in the US
Alcohol
Alcohol can:
Depress the central nervous system and can cause respiratory depression. Support the airway and be prepared for the patient to vomit.
What else can depress the CNS
Opioids, opiates, sedative-hypnotic drugs, and abused inhalants
An antidote that reverses the effects of opiate or opioid overdose
Naloxone
Indications for naloxone include:
Atonal respiration’s or apnea, ventilate the patient prior to administration
Inhalants may cause
Seizures or sudden death
Sympathomimetics (including Cocaine) stimulate the CNS causing:
- hypertension
- tachycardia
- seizures
- dilated pupils
Anticholinergic medications (often taken in suicide attempts) can cause a person to become
- hot
- dry
- blind
- red-faced
- mentally unbalanced
DUMBELS
Diarrhea Urination Miosis/muscle weakness Bradycardia/bronchospasm/bronchorrhea Emesis Lacrimation Seizures/salivation/sweating
