First steps If the person inhaled poison, get him or her fresh air right away. If the person has poison on the skin, take off any clothing the poison touched. Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. If the person has poison in the eyes, rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
The general approach to the poisoned patient can be divided into six phases: (1) stabilization; (2) laboratory assessment; (3) decontamination of the gastrointestinal tract, skin, or eyes; (4) administration of an antidote; (5) elimination enhancement of the toxin; and (6) observation and disposition.
Wipe any vomit away from their mouth and keep their head pointing down, to allow any vomit to escape without them breathing it in or swallowing it. Do not give them anything to eat or drink. If the person is not breathing or their heart has stopped, begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) if you know how to.
Poisoning involves four elements: the poison, the poisoned organism, the injury to the cells, and the symptoms and signs or death. These four elements represent the cause, subject, effect, and consequence of poisoning.
The first step is to stabilize airway, breathing, and circulation as with any critically ill patient. Identifying the poison, either through history, toxidrome, or laboratory tests may direct the physicians in the right track. Antidotes can be used in instances where the exact poison agent is known.
Never use commercial cleaning products on food or food packaging. Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food. Wash hands and counters before preparing all food. Store food at the proper temperatures.
Classification of a poison
Poisons are of such diverse natures that they are classified by origin, physical form, chemical nature, chemical activity, target site, or use.
Your primary responsibility to the patient who has been poisoned is to recognize that a poisoning has occurred.
You may recover in a few days … or not
Most of the time, food poisoning will pass within 12 hours to 48 hours in healthy people. That's how long it takes for a healthy body to purge most foodborne infections.
If the patient's life is in immediate danger, the goals of immediate treatment are patient stabilization and evaluation and management of airway, breathing, circulation and dextrose (ABCDs).
Treatment of poisoned patients should concentrate on the following areas: (i) emergency stabilisation and supportive care; (ii) reducing further absorption of the toxin; (iii) using a specific antidote, if one exists; (iv) increasing elimination of the toxin; and (v) treating effects of the toxin.
It is called the “silent killer” because it is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non- irritating. If the early signs of CO poisoning are ignored, a person may lose consciousness and be unable to escape the danger. More people die from carbon monoxide exposure than any other kind of poisoning.
Botulinum toxin, the nerve agent commonly called botox, is best known for its miraculous effect on wrinkles. The toxin paralyses muscles in the skin so they relax. However, botox is also used for a range of medical problems, such as chronic migraines, excessive sweating and muscle cramps.
Drugs such as N-acetyl cysteine and sodium thiocyanate reduce the formation of toxic metabolites in paracetamol and cyanide poisoning respectively. Drugs such as atropine and magnesium are used to counteract the end-organ effects in organophosphorus poisoning.
You can help keep your family safe from food poisoning at home by following these four simple steps: clean, separate, cook and, chill.
Response: Emergency care for a patient with a surface contact poisoning includes avoiding contaminating yourself and others and removing the irritating or corrosive substance from the patient as rapidly as possible. Dry chemicals must be brushed from the body prior to flushing with water.
All patients with symptomatic carbon monoxide poisoning should be treated with 100% oxygen as soon as possible. In severe cases of fire fume intoxication, combined poisoning with CO and cyanides should be considered.