ed 3

Question 1

EXPOSURE TO TOXIN VIA

Answer 1

➤ Ingestion
➤ Inhalation
➤ Intravenous
➤ Skin exposure/mucous membrane exposure

Question 2

IDENTIFICATION OF TOXIN EXPOSURE IN
EMERGENCY

Answer 2

‣ Agent
‣ Amount (dose)
‣ Time of exposure
‣ patient factors; (weight, medical hx)
‣ Severity of incident (any airway involvement? vitals signs,
LOC, how unwell does the patient look)
‣ How??? deliberate or accidental (need for mental health
involvement, risk of harm to self)

Question 3

AIMS of exposure to toxins

Answer 3

• provision of supportive care
• prevention of poison absorption
• administration of antidotes
• enhancement of elimination of poison

Question 4

EMERGENCY STABILISATION

Answer 4

➤ AIRWAY
➤ BREATHING
➤ CIRCULATION
➤ DISABILITY
➤ EXPOSURE
➤ FLUIDS
➤ GLUCOSE
➤ SOCIAL

Question 5

POTENTIAL TOXINS

Answer 5

food poisoning
carbon monoxide poisoning
drug and medication overdose (deliberate/ accidental)
alcohol poisoning
lead poisoning
envenomation,( snake, spider, jelly fish, tick, bee, wasp)

Question 6

ALCOHOL POISONING

Answer 6

If a poison is INGESTED do NOT try to induce vomiting.
Alcohol poisoning treatment usually involves supportive care while the
body rids itself of the alcohol.

Question 7

alcohol poisoning treatment

Answer 7

• Oxygen sats monitoring, may need O2 administration
• CO2 monitoring
• IVF
• anti emetics
• prevention of aspiration
• Assessment of any trauma, injuries
• Identify any other drug intake, urine drug screen

Question 8

CHRONIC ALCOHOL ABUSE complications

Answer 8

➤Alcohol withdrawal seizure
➤Alcohol withdrawal
delirium
➤Wernicke’s
encephalopathy
➤Liver disease; liver fibrosis,
Cirrhosis
➤Pancreatitis
➤Gastritis
➤ Gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding

Question 9

AWS- ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL SCALE

Answer 9

AWS score guide ≤ 4 = mild withdrawal 5 – 7 = moderate withdrawal ≥ 8 =
severe withdrawa

Question 10

aws looks at

Answer 10

tremor, hallucinations, axilla temperature, persperations

Question 11

COMMON TREATMENT OF CHRONIC
ETOH ABUSE

Answer 11

➤ Referral to drug and alcohol services
➤ Diazepam; (helps reduce withdrawal symptoms)
➤ Thiamine, Vitamin B1 (300mg IV in 100ml n/saline over 30mins stat, then
100mg po TDS)

Question 12

Patients with chronic alcohol abuse issues are commonly

Answer 12

malnourished.

Question 13

Thiamine is
used

Answer 13

to treat Vitamin B1 deficiency. To prevent cognitive impairment.

Question 14

Wernicke’s encephalopathy

Answer 14

degenerative brain disorder caused by lack of thiamine