Drug Poisoning and Misuse Flashcards
what is a poison?
a poison is any substance, including medications, that is harmful to your body if too much is eaten, inhaled, injected, or absorbed through the skin. (CDC,2015)
what is an acute poisoning?
single contact with a toxin
what is a chronic poisoning?
repeated contacts with a toxin which is not or is poorly excreted from the body, thus permitting accumulation
what are the three types of poisoning?
- accidental
- intentional
- iatrogenic
when does accidental poisoning usually occur?
- mostly in children
- high risk age 12-36 months
- most common poison is household bleach
when does intentional poisoning usually occur?
- most common in adults with suicidal/parasuicidal intention
- number of occurrence is higher in accidental but fatality rate is higher in intentional poisoning
what percent of poisonings does unintentional account for?
84%
what is iatrogenic poisoning?
includes the vast array of adverse drug reactions, many of which are preventable
accounting for 3% of reported poisonings
what are the most common drugs enquired about?
paracetamol and ibuprofen
what is the most common household item enquired about?
laundry products/detergents
what are the signs and symptoms of poisoning?
- burns or redness around the mouth
- chemical smelling breath
- burns, stains and odors on the person or surrounding area
- empty medication bottles or scattered pills
- vomiting, difficulty breathing, sleepiness, seizures, confusion
what are some non-specific treatments?
- maintenance of ventilation
- reduce absorption of poison
- maintenance of BP
- increasing elimination
- nutrition, hydration and electrolyte disturbance
what are the signs of aspirin poisoning?
- tinnitus and impaired hearing
- hyperventilation
- vomiting
- dehydration
- fever
- double vision
what is given as treatment in a significant aspirin overdose?
sodium bicarbonate given until urine pH is between 7.5-8
what is classified as a significant aspirin overdose?
salicylate levels greater than 35mg/dl after 6 hours of injestion