Tox Medic Flashcards
Any substance or material that has the ability to adversely affect a person’s health is a ____.
Hazardous material
What is the most important factor in determining the level of hazmat suit needed?
Chemical or substance involved
Name 3 places a hazmat incident could occur.
- Industrial facilities
- Residential structures
- Medical settings
The lowest temperature at which a liquid will give off enough vapors to ignite but not sustain combustion is it’s ___.
Flash point
Name the 3 strategic priorities when responding to a hazmat incident.
- Deny entry
- Isolate the area
- Identify the product
Give 3 ways we can protect citizens during a hazmat incident.
- Prevent them from entering area
- Evacuate the area
- Protect in place
A level A suit is ___.
Fully encapsulating
What are two limits mandated by law?
Permissible exposure limit (PEL)
Short-term exposure limit (STEL)
What are 3 factors that help the recognition of hazardous materials?
- Occupancy
- Placards, markings, labels
- Container size and shape
The IDLH (immediately dangerous to life and health) indicates an exposure of ___.
30 minutes
When does research begin?
En route to the emergency indicent
Four areas that information should be obtained during research?
- Physical properties
- Toxicokinetics
- Toxicodynamics
- Treatment
What is toxicokinetics?
What the body does to the poison
List the 4 things that the body does to a hazardous material.
- Absorption
- Biotransformation
- Circulation/distribution
- Elimination
What are the 4 ways a hazmat can enter the body?
- Inhalation
- Injection
- Ingestion
- Skin/eye absorption
Contamination from a tool and/or a person that was contaminated is the definition of ___.
Secondary contamination
What is toxicodynamics?
What the poison does to the body
List 4 areas of decontamination.
- Skin decon
- Eye decon
- Respiratory decon
- GI decon
What are the six steps of treating a hazmat and/or WMD victim following proper decon?
(ABCDEF)
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Disability/neuro
- Exposure
- Field antidote
What does respiratory decon consist of?
Removing the victim from the source of contamination and insuring adequate oxygenation and ventilation
Entry of a substance into the body through the GI tract is:
Ingestion
Which type of contamination occurs when a patient is directly exposed to hazmat and the contamination is limited to pt only?
Primary
Which hazardous material is a high water soluble respiratory irritant gas?
Ammonia
How do respiratory irritant gases damage the airway?
Production of a corrosive mixture producing local tissue damage
List 2 signs and symptoms of an exposure to respiratory irritant gases.
- Coughing
2. Pale, cool, diaphoretic
What are the steps in proper treatment of a victim exposed to a respiratory irritant gas?
- Should induce respiratory decon
- O2
- Ventilatory support
- IV
- Monitor
- Albuterol/atrovent
What is a low water soluble respiratory irritant gas?
Phosgene
How should a victim of an exposure to a respiratory irritant gas be decontaminated?
Respiratory decon
Pulmonary irritant gases are classified according to their __.
Water solubility
A pulmonary irritant gas that is highly water soluble will usually limit the affects to the ___.
Upper airway
Pulmonary irritant gases form what type of mixture with the mucous of the respiratory tract?
Corrosive mixtures
Pulmonary irritant gases affect the nervous system in what way?
Hypoxia
A simple asphyxiate has what effect on the body?
Displaces oxygen
List two signs and symptoms of an exposure to a simple asphyxiate.
- Cyanosis
2. Tachypnea
What does the proper treatment of a pt exposed to a simple asphyxiate consist of?
Respiratory decon
Oxygenation
Adequate ventilation
Carbon monoxide affects the body by creating ___.
Carboxyhemoglobin (this makes the red blood cells unable to transport O2)
Carbon monoxide is a type of ___.
Systemic asphyxiate
An example of a pt for whom hyperbaric oxygen therapy is indicated as a result of carbon monoxide exposure is ___.
4 month pregnant patient
How does cyanide affect the body?
It binds cytochrome oxidase at the cellular level and decreases ATP production.
What are 2 signs and symptoms of CO exposure?
Cherry red skin
Tachypnea
List 2 signs and symptoms of an exposure to cyanide.
Tachypnea
PVC’s
Explain the proper treatment of a pt exposed to CO.
Respiratory decon
Oxygenation/ventilation
Tx in a hyperbaric chamber
Explain the proper treatment of a pt exposed to cyanide.
Skin/eye/respiratory decon
Oxygenation/ventilation
Cyanide antidote kit
Methemoglobin formers affect the body by:
Creating methemoglobin (which makes the hemoglobin unable to carry O2)
List 2 methemoglobin formers.
- Nitrobenzene
2. Nitric acid
List 2 signs and symptoms of methemoglobin formers.
- Tachypnea
2. PVC’s
What is the proper treatment of a pt exposed to methemoglobin formers?
Skin/eye/respiratory decon
Oxygenation/ventilation
Methylene blue
The antidote for chemicals causing methemoglobinemia is?
Methylene blue
What 3 drugs does the cyanide antidote kit contain?
- Amyl nitrite
- Sodium nitrite
- Sodium thiosulfate
Amyl nitrite and sodium nitrite have what effect on the body?
Convert the iron in the hemoglobin from ferrous iron (Fe +2) to ferric iron (Fe +3)