Drugs And Poison

Question 1

Poison and Drugs-Introduction

Safety first! Check area and bring material to hospital. 
Ingestion (2)
Inhalation (2)
Injection (2)
Absorption (2)

Answer 1

Types of exposure:

1) Ingestion
- detergents and medicine
- kids (arabs, orthodox), adults (intentional), elders (unintentional)
2) Inhalation
- fires, gas leak, extermination, hazmat
- between minutes and hours
3) Injection
- medication, drugs
- straight absorption (unlike swallowing)
4) Absorption
- skin (slow), glands; nose, mouth, throat (fast)
- generally long term hard to diagnose

Question 2

Poison-Types (3)

Answer 2

Types:

1) Carbon Monoxide (CO)
2) Cyanide
3) Organophosphate (OP)

Question 3

Drugs-Types (4)

Answer 3

Types:

1) Opiods
2) Stimulants
3) Hallucinogens
4) Depressants

Question 4

Carbon Monoxide

Properties (3)
Signs (7)

Answer 4

Properties:

• scentless, tasteless (the silent killer)
• present at fire where there is a lack of oxygen
• attaches to hemoglobin 240 times more than oxygen

Signs:

• Headache, dizziness
• Blurry vision, mydriasis (dilated pupils)
• Nausea, vomiting (more common than cyanide)
• Seizures
• Tachypnea
• Decline in consciousness
• Improvement when removed from toxin

Question 5

Cyanide

Properties (4)
Signs (7)

Answer 5

Properties:

• Plastic, paint (synthetics)
• Prevents cellular respiration
• Ingestion, Inhalation and even touch!
• Generally slow process

Signs

• Headache, dizziness
• Normal pupils
• Nausea, vomiting
• Seizures
• Tachypnea, Bradypnea, Apnea
• Loss of consciousness
• Deterioration even after toxin is not present

Question 6

Organophosphate

Properties (3)
Signs (7+1)

Answer 6

Properties:

• Insecticides, nerve gas
• Inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and as a result causes overstimulation of nerves.
• Quick response and treatment is vital

Signs: SLUDGEM

• Salivation
• Lacrimation (tearing)
• Urination
• Defacation
• Gastrointestinal motility (spasms)
• Emesis (vomiting)
• Miosis (pupil constriction)

-Wheezing, chest pain

Question 7

Opioids

Properties (2)
Signs (4)

Answer 7

Properties:

• Pain relief (operates on opiod receptors)
• Morphine, heroin

Signs:

• Depressed breathing
• Pinpoint pupils
• Seizures
• Low BP (severe)

Question 8

Stimulants

Properties (2)
Signs (2)

Answer 8

Properties:

• Brain activity enhancement
• Caffeine, ritalin, cocaine, crystal meth

Signs:

• Increased alertness
• Elevated HR and BP

Question 9

Depressants

Properties (2)
Signs (3)

Answer 9

Properties:

• Lowers neurotransmission levels
• Alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis

Signs:

• Depressed respiration
• Low HR and BP
• Muscle relaxation

Question 10

Hallucinogens

Properties (2)
Signs (5)

Answer 10

Properties:

• Disrupts interaction of serotonin which affects behaviour, perception and regulation
• LSD, DMT, ecstasy, PCP

Signs:

• Mydriasis (dilated pupils)
• Anxiety
• R.E.M.
• Elevated HR
• Speech difficulty