Emergency Medicine Flashcards
when can gastric lavage be done for OD
if within 2 hrs and it is NOT caustic, acetaminophen, or altered mental status
what is whole bowel irrigation good for
iron, Li, drug smuggling - usually WRONG answer
is charcoal dangerous
no
next best step in altered mental status of unclear etiology
naloxone and glucose
alcoholism increases/decreases the amount of aceaminophen to cause toxicity
decreases
next step, >8-10g of aceteminophen injested
N-acetylcystein
next step, acetaminophen OD >24 hrs ago
no tx
next step, unknown amount of acetaminophen injested
drug level
N-acteylcysteine given for acetaminophen OD, can you give charcoal
yes, not contraindicated, does not make N-acetylcysteine ineffective
Tinnitus, hyperventilation, Renal toxicity and altered mental status
aspirin OD
blood gasses in aspirin OD
respiratory alkalosis (low pCO2) → metabolic acidosis (low bicarb). metabolic acidosis from lactate
tx of aspirin OD
alkalinize urine (sodium bicarb) to increase rate of aspirin excretion
drug that can prevent seizures from TCA toxicity
Benzos, so if coinjested dont give flumazenil!
next step, suspected TCA OD
EKG (widening of QRS –> torsades)
tx of TCA OD
sodium bicarb (protects heart against arrhythmia does not increase urinary excretion)
most common cause of death in fires
carbon monoxide poisoning
Dyspnea, lightheaded, confused, seizures → death from MI
carbon monoxide poisoning
blood gases in CO poisoning
Normal pO2, lactic acidosis (low bicarb, low pH)
most accurate test for CO poisoning
level of carboxyhemoglobin
best initial tx for CO poisoning
remove from exposure, give 100% O2, hyperbaric O2 if severe
drugs that can cause methemoglobinemia
benzocaine, other anesthetics, nitrites, nitroglycerin, dapsone
cyanosis + normal pO2
methemoglobinemia
blood gases in methemoglobinemia
Normal pO2, Metabolic acidosis
most accurate test for methemoglobinemia
methemoglobin level
best initial tx for methemoglobinemia
100% O2
most effective tx for methemoglobinemia
methylene blue
MOA of nerve gas
increase level of acetylcholine by inhibiting its metabolism
MOA of atropine
blocks effects of acetylcholine that is already increased in body
tx of organophosphate toxicity
atropine
MOA of pralidoxime
reactives acetylcholinesterase, takes longer than atropine to work
what predisposes to digoxin toxicity
hypokalemia
GI (N/V, abdominal pain), hyperkalemia, confusion, yellow halos, rhythm disturbances
digoxin toxicity
most accurate test for digoxin toxicity
digoxin level
best initial test for digoxin toxicity
K level and EKG (downsloping of ST in all leads)
tx for digoxin toxicity
control K and digoxin specific antibodies
Abdominal pain, acute tubular necrosis, sideroblastic anemia, peripheral neuropathies (wrist drop), CNS (memory loss, confusion)
lead poisoning
most accurate test for lead poisoning
lead level
best initial test for lead poisoning
increased level of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin
tx of lead poisoning
chelators (succimer is oral, EDTA and BAL are parenteral)
mercury ingestion causes
neurologic problems (nervous, twitchy, jittery, hallucinations)
mercury inhalation causes
lung toxicity → pulmonary fibrosis
tx of mercury exposure
chelators (dimercaprol and succimer)
Wood alcohol, cleaning solutions, paint thinner toxicant
methanol
antifreeze intoxicant
ethylene glycol
methanol toxic byproduct
formic acid
ethylene glycol toxic byproduct
oxalic acid
toxicity of methanol
ototoxicity
toxicity of ethylene glycol
renal toxicity
envelope shaped crystals in urine indicate
ethylene glycol intoxication