TOXICOLOGY Flashcards
What makes a chemical Toxic?
The ability to cause harm
Three Factors:
- Chemical Structure (Toxicity)
- Amount absorbed (Dose)
- Bodies ability to handle (Response)
Toxic vs. Hazardous
Toxic= Harmful Hazardous = Likely to Harm
Toxic: How much is required Route: How it enters the body Dose: How much got in Duration: Time of exposure Interaction: Reaction with other substances Sensitivity: Reaction
What is the most important factor in toxicity?
Structure
What are the routes of exposure?
Inhalation
Absorption
Ingestion
Injection
What body system is classified when a substance was swallowed or ingested
Respiratory
What is effected when inhailed?
Lungs and airway
What are some inhalation hazards?
Gases, Vapors, Mist and Particles
Vapors from ingested products
May enter the bloodstream causing systemic effects
What does Polar mean?
There is a charge
What do polar toxins tend to irritate?
Upper airway
What do non-Polar toxins tent to affect?
air sacks (alveoli)
what is the level of damage due to inhaling particulates?
> 30 microns- Upper Airway (Throat, nose)
5-30 Microns- Middle airways (Bronchi)
0.5 - 5 microns- Air Sacks (Alveoli)
<0.5 microns- acts as a gas
What does NCPE Stand for?
Non- Cardiac Pulmonary Edema
What is NCPE?
Fluid build up in the lungs not attributed to heart failure or pulmonary hypertension
Will medicating the patient change the status of the fluids in the lungs lungs with NCPE?
No
How correct NCPE?
Physically moving the fluids via increasing pressure (CPAP, BVM)
What are the causes of NCPE in Tox?
Physical Destruction
Chemical Destruction
What is the least common route of exposure?
Ingestion
What are the complications with Ingestion?
May cause damage to the GI Tract
May be absorbed into the blood stream
May be excreted without harm
What happens when a chemical enters the body?
It can be used
It can be stored
It can be eliminated
What are the types of elimination?
Exhalation
Precipitation
Urination
Defecation
Vomiting
Lacrimation
What is a chemicals half life?
The time required for the activity of a substance taken into the body to lose one half its initial effectiveness.
What is Latency?
Delayed Onset
What are the toxic effects?
Acute- One time severe exposure
Subacute- moderate exposure levels over several encounters
Chronic- low level exposures generally occurring over a long period of time
What is reaction?
2 or more chemicals reacting to form new compounds
Bleach and ammonia turn to chloramine
What is Interaction
You being exposed to more than one compound
Additive- 1+1=2
Synergism- 1+1=3
Antagonism- 1+1= 0.5
What is a toxin?
A toxin technically is a product of a living microorganism
What is a toxicant
Man made product
What is a poison?
a material that causes harm in small amounts
What is a local response?
A local response usually causes damage at the point of contact with the body (On skin location)
What is a systemic response?
A systemic response may or may not cause any damage at point of contact but will enter the body and move to a target organ or system where the damage will occur
What is a Hemotoxin?
Attack the blood components
What are Necrotics?
Corrosives that destroy tissue
What are Neurotoxins?
Attack the nervous system
What are asphyxiants?
deprive cells of oxygen or their ability to use oxygen
What are carcinogens?
Cause cancer
In terminology, what does “L” stand for?
Lethal
In terminology, what does “T” Stand for?
Toxic
In Terminology, what does “D” Stand for?
Dose
In terminology, what does “C” Stand for?
Concentration
In terminology, what does “xx” stand for?
Affected test population
What are some possible clues to exposure?
Odor Taste Irritation Symptoms Settled dust or mist Particles in nose or mucous membrane
What do muscarinic effects tend to dominate?
Bradycardia
Bronchospasm
SLUDGEM
Blurred Vision
What does SLUDGEM Stand for?
Salivation - The secretion of Saliva
Lacrimation- The secretion of tears
Urination- The secretion of Urination
Deification- Uncontrollable bowel movement
GI - abdominal pain
Emesis - Vomiting
Muscle activity (Miosis)- Constricting pupils
What is the cellular energy cycle and their respective ATP contribution?
Glycolysis (2 ATP) Krebs Cycle (2 ATP) Oxidative phosphorylation (32 ATP)
What do corrosives cause?
Irritation and burns to skin, eyes and respiratory system. Burns result in tissue sloughing similar to thermal burns.
Treatment for corrosive burns?
Remove patient to safety Remove contaminated clothing Give oxygen and support respiration, intubation, PEEP/PPV if necessary. Irrigate eyes Cover burns per local protocol Treat for shock Brochiodialtors may be useful
What are hydrocarbons?
Explosives
