Cyanide Poisoning
Cyanide is a potentially lethal toxic agent that can be found in liquid and gaseous form. First discovered in 1786 by Scheele, who extracted it from the dye Prussian blue - and promptly died from exposure to the vapours
Category Toxicology
Selective Digestive Decontamination
Selective Digestive Decontamination (SDD) is a prophylactic strategy to prevent or minimize nosocomial endogenous and exogenous infections in critically ill patients
Isoniazid toxicity
Isoniazid toxicity, like other hydrazines, primarily cause life-threatening seizures and lactic acidosis through depletion of vitamin B6. The antidote is pyridoxine
Cocaine Toxicity and Obstetrics
Cocaine Toxicity and Obstetrics:
Toxic Alcohol Ingestion
Highlights and pearls on toxic alcohol ingestion from the EBMedicine article, "Toxic Alcohols: Not Always A Clear-Cut Diagnosis"
Tricyclic Antidepressant Toxicity CCC
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA) are weak bases (pKa 8.5) that can cause life-threatening sodium channel toxicity
Mushroom Toxicity
Severe toxicity from mushrooms is rare in humans; most symptomatic presentations are a self-limiting gastroenteritis requiring supportive care only; lethal hepatotoxicity from Amanita mushrooms must be excluded
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbonaceous material. CO poisoning may be acute or chronic
Smoke inhalation
Smoke is a complicated heterogeneous mixture of potentially toxic gases, chemical fumes, asphyxiants and particulate debris. Smoke inhalation is commonly seen in patients with burns as a result of fire; it is associated with high morbidity and mortality
Glucagon Therapy
Agonist at glucagon-specific Gs-protein coupled receptor, activates adenylyl cyclase resulting in increased [cAMP]i
Calcium Channel Blocker Toxicity
Severe calcium channel blocker toxicity is highly lethal, as a result of cardiovascular collapse. Good outcomes can be achieved through aggressive treatment and provision of circulatory support
Theophylline toxicity
Theophylline and caffeine are the most commonly encountered methylxanthines. Theophylline = water soluble aminophylline derivative; cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors