Feb 2002 Vol. 1 No. 1
Ethylene Glycol (Antifreeze) Ingestion
Ethylene glycol (C2H6O2, CAS # 107-21-1) is a significant cause of poisoning morbidity and mortality in California. Ethylene glycol (EG) per se causes an altered mental status similar to ethyl alcohol. More importantly,
|
|
Jun 2002 Vol. 1 No. 2
The Anthrax Outbreak of 2001,
Lessons Learned in California
It has been more than six months since the last case of human anthrax attributed
to the release of B. anthracis spore contaminated letters in the eastern United
States. Although |
|
Feb 2003 Vol. 1 No. 3
Diagnosis and Treatment of
Pediatric Iron Ingestion
Iron is essential for normal tissue and organ function. In toxic doses, iron
salts (ferrous sulfate, fumarate or gluconate) cause corrosive gastrointestinal
effects followed by hypotension, metabolic acidosis, and multisystem failure. |
Jun 2003 Vol. 1 No. 4
Whole Bowel Irrigation
The rationale behind GI decontamination
is to prevent absorption of ingested toxins by either
eliminating the toxin from the GI tract or binding the
toxin within the GI tract.
|
|
Sept 2003 Vol. 1 No. 5
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning remains an important cause of illness and death. A colorless, odorless gas produced by the combustion of any organic material, it has been implicated in approximately 5,000 deaths per year in the United States.
|
|
Nov 2003 * No. 6
Lithium Toxicity
The medical use of lithium has evolved considerably since it was first used for gout and rheumatism in the 1800’s. It was also used as a salt substitute in patients with hypertension, and was at one point present in the soft drink... |
| April 2004 Vol. 2 No. 1
Drug-Induced QT Prolongation
The “long QT syndrome” is characterized by a long QT interval on electrocardiogram and symptoms such as syncope or even cardiac arrest due to the development of... |
|
May 2004 Vol. 2 No. 2
Loxoscelophobia: The
Alleged Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Loxosceles reclusa, or the brown recluse spider is one of the most feared and at the same time misunderstood arthropods in... |
|
Nov 2004 Vol. 2 No. 3
Physostigmine
Physostigmine is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor capable of temporarily reversing the effects of antimuscarinic agents. It was first derived from a plant in Africa,... |
Dec 2004 Vol. 2 No. 4
Management
of Sulfonylurea Overdose
There are multiple oral agents available for the treatment of diabetes. These include several pharmacological classes: the sulfonylureas, biguanides, a-glucosidase inhibitors, thiolidinediones, and ...
|
|
April 2005 Vol. 3 No. 1
Calcium channel blocker Toxicity
Calcium channel blockers (CCB) are used extensively
for treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, tachyarrhythmias and migraine
prophylaxis. Reports of serious CCB... |
|
April 2005 Vol. 3 No. 2
Nicotine Poisoning
Nicotine is a water-soluble alkaloid found primarily in plants of the Nicotiana species, although it is also found in lower quantities in... |
April 2005 Vol. 3 No. 3
Poisoning-related Hypotension
Hypotension is a frequently encountered problem in patients with poisoning or drug overdose. Toxicological causes of hypotension are... |
|
April 2005 Vol. 3 No. 4
Diagnosis and Treatment of
Acute Isoniazid Poisoning
Isoniazid (INH, isonicotinic hydrazide) is a synthetic derivative of nicotinamide (vitamin B3). It has been used for over 50 years in... |
|
April 2006 Vol. 4 No. 1
Using Activated Charcoal
In Medical Toxicology
Activated charcoal is the single most widely used method of gastrointestinal (GI) decontamination for the treatment of... |
July 2006 Vol. 4 No. 2
Diagnosis and Treatment of Colchicine Poisoning
Colchicine is a widely prescribed and effective medication for the treatment of gouty arthritis. Plants such as autumn crocus or meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnale) and glory lily (gloriosa superba) contain colchicine alkaloids. |
|
September 2006 Vol. 4 No. 3
Latrodectism - Diagnosis and Treatment
Of over 20,000 species of spiders in the United States, only about 50 species have fangs that can penetrate human skin and only 2 species are commonly implicated in human illness... |
|
December 2006 Vol. 4 No. 4
The Use of Calcium in Toxicalogy
Calcium is a cation necessary for the normal functioning of a variety of enzymes and organ systems, including muscle and nerve tissue... |
Fall 2007 Vol. 5 No. 2
Thallium Poisoning Thallium is a well-known poison cited in numerous works of fictional literature, but is also a popular real-life agent of murder with worldwide homicidal usage documented since the 1800s ... |
|
Summer 2007 Vol. 5 No. 2
Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is an odorless, tasteless, silver-grey,
brittle, semi-metallic solid. When bound to
sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine it forms inorganic compounds; when bound to
molecules containing carbon it form... |
|
Spring 2007 Vol. 5 No. 1
The Use of Sodium Bicarbonate in Medical Toxicology
Sodium bicarbonate administration is a suggested treatment modality for a variety of toxicologic and nontoxicologic conditions such as poisonings by tricyclic antidepressants, toxic alcohols, and salicylates, and other conditions such as hyperkalemia. The rationale for its use ... |
Winter 2007 Vol. 5 No. 4
The Use of Rattlesnake (Crotaline) Antivenom Research on inducing immunity through the use of vaccines in the early 20th century led to the first rattlesnake antivenoms. There are currently two antivenom products marketed for the treatment of rattlesnake envenomations in North America... |
|
Spring 2008 Vol. 6 No. 1
Cyanide Poisoning Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele first isolated cyanide in 1782. He reportedly died due to cyanide poisoning in 1786. Since that time cyanide has earned its reputation as a powerful and deadly poison... |
|
Fall 2008 Vol. 6 No. 3
Methamphetamine Poisoning Methamphetamine, closely related to amphetamine, is a fat-soluble sympathomimetic agent that in users can produce symptoms as mild as restlessness... |
|
Summer 2008 Vol. 6 No. 2
Organic Phosphorus and Carbamate
Organic phosphorus (OP) and carbamate compounds are some of the most widely utilized pesticides in the world. Globally, these agents may kill more people each year than acute poisoning by any other chemical... |
|
Winter 2008 Vol. 6 No. 4
Anticholinergic Plants
Most plants with anticholinergic properties are from the family Solanaceae, and can be identified from their characteristic flowers... |
|
Spring 2009 Vol. 7 No. 1
Novel Antidotes In Calcium Channel Antagonist Toxicity: Chicken Soup for the Toxic Heart
As the U.S. population ages, increasing prescriptions for cardiovascular drugs are being written. Not only does this make these potentially lethal drugs more available for intentional overdose, but can also ... |
Spring 2009 Vol. 7 No. 2
Hydrocarbon Toxicity and Abuse
Hydrocarbons (HC) are organic compounds containing primarily hydrogen and carbon atoms, although they may contain other molecules such as halogens or alcohols. Generally speaking there are two types ... |
|
Fall 2009 Vol. 7 No. 3
Methemoglobin
Methemoglobin is an altered form of hemoglobin in which the ferrous state, Fe2+, loses an electron and is oxidized to the ferric, Fe3+, state ... |
|
Spring 2010 Vol. 8 No. 1
Hydrofluoric Acid and Fluorides
Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a corrosive agent with unique chemical properties that set it apart from other caustic agents ... |
|
Summer 2010 Vol. 8 No. 2
Lindane and Organochlorine Poisoning
Organochlorine compounds were
introduced in the 1940’s as potent insecticides and pesticides. They offered
the advantages of low cost of manufacture, nonvolatile properties, persistent
environmental effects, and less toxicity compared to previous pesticides ... |
|
Fall 2010 Vol. 8 No. 3
Drug and Medication-Related Hyperthermia
The differential diagnosis of the hyperthermic patient in the emergency department is broad. ... |
|
Winter 2010 Vol. 8 No. 4
Bacterial Food Poisoning
Millions of cases of food poisoning are reported to poison centers, public health departments, and other health agencies every year. Food poisoning represents a crossover between infectious diseases and toxin-mediated illnesss ... |
|
Spring 2011 Vol. 9 No. 1
Mercury
Mercury remains a common heavy metal exposure as it can be found in both the home and industrial setting. The toxicology of mercury (Hg) is complex due to the presences of different states, different routes of exposure, and distinctly different pathological effects .... |
| >
Summer 2011 Vol. 9 No. 2
Neurotoxic Seafood Poisoning
Thousands of cases of seafood poisoning with neurologic symptoms present to health care providers annually. Neurotoxic seafood poisoning most often occurs following consumption of fish and shellfish.... |
|
Fall 2011 Vol. 9 No. 3
Arsenic Poisoning
Arsenic is a naturally occurring and ubiquitous metalloid
that can result in poisoning from a variety of sources including environmental
and occupational exposures as well as more nefarious intent including homicide
and suicide.... |
|
Winter 2011 Vol. 9 No. 4
“Bath Salts”
Synthetic Cathinones
The use of synthetic cathinones has risen dramatically in the last several years. These drugs are analogs of the naturally occurring stimulant cathinone which is found in Khat (Catha edulis).... |
|
Spring 2012 Vol. 10 No. 1
Adrenergic Antagonists
ß-adrenergic antagonists (beta-blockers) (BBs) are commonly used for treatment of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and tachydysrhythmias. The number of exposures reported nationally to poison centers has doubled in the past decade.... |
|
Summer 2012 Vol. 10 No. 2
Jellyfish Envenomation
Jellyfish (Scyphozoa) are delicate soft-bodied animals in the phylum Cnidaria. While they are found in virtually coastal water zones worldwide, jellyfish populations fluctuate greatly is association with ocean climate and perhaps other factors related to human interactions with the oceans... |
Fall 2012 Vol. 10 No. 3
“Strychnine Poisoning”
Strychnine is an odorless, colorless crystalline powder that is found in both naturally occurring alkaloid forms as well as commercially produced salts. It has been used as a rodenticide since the 1500’s as well as for various antiquated medical treatments..... |
|
Winter 2012 Vol. 10 No. 4
Diethylene Glycol Poisoning
Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a sweet taste, and is an excellent solvent for water-insoluble chemicals and drugs. DEG is used as a component of multiple different products including antifreeze preparations..... |
|
|
