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Related Concept Videos

Toxic Reactions: Overview01:26

Toxic Reactions: Overview

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When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
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Types of Toxins01:36

Types of Toxins

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Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
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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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Antidotes01:17

Antidotes

735
Antidotes are medicinal substances used to counteract the harmful effects of toxins or drugs in the body. They function in various ways, each uniquely designed to combat specific toxic compounds.
Specific antidotes operate by inhibiting the enzymes that control biochemical pathways, reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
An example of an antidote is atropine, which counteracts the detrimental effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. It achieves this by deactivating muscarinic receptors,...
735
Effects of Chemicals: Overview01:27

Effects of Chemicals: Overview

1.3K
Drugs, encompassing various chemical compounds from natural sources, lab synthesis, or genetic engineering, elicit different biological responses in living organisms. Some of these responses are desirable or therapeutic, while others are undesirable. The primary goal of administering a drug is to achieve a therapeutic effect, that is, to address a specific disease or health condition. Any concurrent effects outside of this therapeutic outcome are considered undesirable. These undesirable...
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Enhanced Elimination of Poison01:26

Enhanced Elimination of Poison

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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...
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High Content Screening Analysis to Evaluate the Toxicological Effects of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents HPHC
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High Content Screening Analysis to Evaluate the Toxicological Effects of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents HPHC

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Toxicological Emergencies.

Syed Azharuddin1, Osakpolor Ogbebor, Mareena Shuster

  • 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, (Drs Azharuddin, Ogbebor, Arshad, and Cheema and Ms Smith), Division of Infectious Disease (Dr Ogbebor), Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Department of Pharmacy, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dr Shuster).

Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
|November 23, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Poisoning and drug overdose are common in intensive care units (ICUs). Treatment focuses on supportive care, limiting toxin absorption, and enhancing elimination, with specific antidotes used when available.

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Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Poisoning, drug overdose, and adverse drug effects are frequent occurrences in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Critically ill patients or those at risk of rapid deterioration often require ICU admission.
  • Accurate patient-reported information on ingested substances is frequently unavailable in adult overdose cases, often involving multiple substances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the diagnostic and therapeutic principles for managing poisoning and drug overdose cases in the ICU.
  • To emphasize the importance of supportive care and targeted interventions for specific toxins.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnosis relies on physical examination and basic laboratory tests (e.g., electrolyte panel, creatinine, osmolarity, urinalysis).
  • Treatment emphasizes supportive care, focusing on airway, oxygenation, and circulation.
  • Key principles include limiting absorption, enhancing elimination, and preventing toxic metabolite formation.

Main Results:

  • Specific antidotes and therapies are crucial for certain toxins like acetaminophen, salicylates, methanol, ethylene glycol, and digitalis.
  • Quantitative testing for specific toxins should be performed before and during treatment as clinically indicated.
  • Aggressive treatment of identifiable and treatable poisonings is recommended after initial patient stabilization.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of poisoning and drug overdose in the ICU requires a multi-faceted approach.
  • Supportive care, toxin elimination strategies, and the judicious use of specific antidotes are paramount.
  • Timely diagnosis and targeted treatment based on laboratory findings improve patient outcomes.