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Acute toxicity is distinguished from chronic toxicity, which describes the adverse health effects from repeated exposures, often at lower levels, to a substance over a longer time period (months or years). It is widely considered unethical to use humans as test subjects for acute (or chronic) toxicity research.
Activated charcoal, also known as activated carbon, is a medication used to treat poisonings that occurred by mouth. [1] To be effective it must be used within a short time of the poisoning occurring, typically an hour.
These treatments have been used to help treat or manage toxicity in animals. Although not considered part of standard treatment, they might be of some benefit to humans. Vitamin E appears to be an effective treatment in rabbits, [46] and prevents side effects in chicks [47] Taurine significantly reduces toxic effects in rats. [48]
Initial treatment of an acute overdose includes gastric decontamination. This is achieved by giving activated charcoal, which adsorbs the drug in the gastrointestinal tract either by mouth or via a nasogastric tube. Activated charcoal is most useful if given within 1 to 2 hours of ingestion. [10]
Supportive care is the mainstay of treatment of benzodiazepine overdose. There is an antidote, flumazenil, but its use is controversial. [2] Deaths from single-drug benzodiazepine overdoses occur infrequently, [3] particularly after the point of hospital admission. [4]
Poisoning is the harmful effect which occurs when toxic substances are introduced into the body. [1] The term "poisoning" is a derivative of poison, a term describing any chemical substance that may harm or kill a living organism upon ingestion. [2] Poisoning can be brought on by swallowing, inhaling, injecting or absorbing toxins through the skin.
Medical toxicologists are involved in the assessment and treatment of a wide variety of problems, including acute or chronic poisoning, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), drug overdoses, envenomations, substance abuse, industrial accidents, and other chemical exposures.
Urinary alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate may be useful for barbiturate poisoning, targeting a urinary pH greater than 7.5 and ensuring urine output surpasses 2 mL/kg/min. [10] If a person is drowsy but awake and can swallow and breathe without difficulty, the treatment can be as simple as monitoring the person closely.