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Related Concept Videos

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

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Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
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Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies

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Treatment strategies for poisoning are a critical aspect of emergency medicine, focusing on preventing the absorption of toxins and enhancing their elimination. When a poisoning incident occurs, the first response is to halt exposure and decontaminate the patient, particularly through gastrointestinal (GI) methods if the poison was ingested.Gastrointestinal Decontamination Techniques:Activated charcoal is the cornerstone of GI decontamination. It works through adsorption, binding the toxin to...
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Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison01:14

Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison

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In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
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Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment01:26

Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment

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Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.     
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...
1.8K
Toxidromes: Clinical Features01:30

Toxidromes: Clinical Features

56
Toxidromes are specific patterns of symptoms resulting from toxic substance exposure. They help in the identification and treatment of poisoning. The symptoms of each toxidrome group indicate poisoning by a certain class of chemicals or drugs.1. Sympathomimetic: Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include agitation, increased heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), temperature, and pupil size. Drugs like cocaine and amphetamines, along with tremors and...
56
Enhanced Elimination of Poison01:26

Enhanced Elimination of Poison

985
Poison can be effectively removed from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract through various decontamination procedures.
Antidotes serve a crucial role in counteracting the effects of poison by inhibiting enzymes responsible for producing harmful drug metabolites. In some cases, these toxic metabolites can be neutralized by endogenous cosubstrates, which are maintained at specific concentrations to prevent interaction with cellular macromolecules and subsequent cell death.
Renal excretion is the...
985

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Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy for the Quantitative Assessment of Acute Ionizing Radiation Induced Skin Toxicity Using a Mouse Model
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Should We Be Using the Poisoning Severity Score?

Evan S Schwarz1, Kathryn T Kopec2, Timothy J Wiegand3

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, Campus Box 8072, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA. schwarze@wustl.edu.

Journal of Medical Toxicology : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology
|March 12, 2017
PubMed
Summary

The Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) is an underutilized and inconsistently applied tool for assessing poisoning severity. Its limitations hinder broad clinical utility, suggesting a need for a revised, globally collaborative approach.

Keywords:
PoisoningPoisoning Severity ScoreSeverity scoreToxic

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Toxicology
  • Clinical Research Methodology

Background:

  • Toxicology research lacks a standardized method for assessing poisoning severity.
  • The Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) was developed in Europe to quantify poisoning severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the literature on the utilization of the PSS.
  • To identify and describe the limitations of the PSS in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search of PUBMED, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases.
  • Inclusion criteria applied to 204 eligible publications, with 40 selected for review.
  • Analysis of PSS application, modifications, and reported challenges.

Main Results:

  • Limited published studies using the PSS, particularly from North America.
  • Evidence of PSS misapplication and modification from its original form.
  • Subjective criteria, time-consuming scoring, and limited applicability to certain poisonings were identified limitations.

Conclusions:

  • The PSS is infrequently used and often misused, limiting its clinical utility.
  • The current PSS has broad applicability challenges due to diverse clinical scenarios.
  • A modified PSS, developed through global collaboration, may enhance clinical and research applications.