Organophosphate Pesticide Poisoning
Description: Envenomation or ingestion of organophosphate insecticides, causing cholinergic crisis.
Symptoms: Excessive salivation, pinpoint pupils, muscle twitching, diarrhea, difficulty breathing.
Causes: Ingestion, inhalation, or dermal absorption of organophosphate chemicals.
Risk Factors: Agricultural workers handling pesticides without protective gear.
Diagnosis: Clinical symptoms, low serum cholinesterase levels.
Treatment: Atropine injection (to block cholinergic effects), Pralidoxime (PAM) injection, gastric lavage.
Rodenticide Ingestion
Description: Ingestion of rat poisons containing anticoagulants or zinc phosphide, requiring urgent antidote therapy.
Symptoms: Internal bleeding, nosebleeds, blood in urine, severe abdominal pain, nausea.
Causes: Accidental or intentional ingestion of rodenticide products.
Risk Factors: Access to rat poison in domestic settings.
Diagnosis: Prolonged prothrombin time (PT/INR), toxicological history.
Treatment: High-dose Vitamin K1 (antidote), fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion, gastric lavage.
Corrosive Acid Ingestion
Description: Ingestion of strong acids, causing chemical burns in the mouth, food pipe, and stomach.
Symptoms: Severe pain in mouth and throat, difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood, breathing difficulty.
Causes: Ingestion of household cleaning acids.
Risk Factors: Improper storage of chemicals in unmarked containers.
Diagnosis: Clinical evaluation, urgent upper endoscopy (within 24 hours) to assess mucosal injury.
Treatment: Airway protection, IV fluids, avoidance of vomiting or gastric lavage, surgical intervention.
Acetaminophen Overdose
Description: Overdose of paracetamol, which can lead to severe, life-threatening liver failure.
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, sweating, upper right quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice.
Causes: Ingestion of paracetamol doses exceeding therapeutic limits.
Risk Factors: Easy over-the-counter access, intentional self-harm.
Diagnosis: Serum paracetamol levels, liver function tests (AST/ALT).
Treatment: Intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) infusion, activated charcoal.
Corrosive Alkali Ingestion
Description: Ingestion of strong alkaline agents like bleach or drain cleaners, causing deep tissue damage.
Symptoms: Drooling, severe throat pain, chest pain behind the breastbone, difficulty breathing.
Causes: Ingestion of strong alkaline chemicals.
Risk Factors: Accidental ingestion by children, domestic availability.
Diagnosis: Clinical examination, early diagnostic upper endoscopy.
Treatment: IV hydration, pain management, early endoscopy, strict airway observation.
Kerosene Poisoning (Aspiration)
Description: Accidental ingestion and inhalation of kerosene, causing chemical pneumonitis.
Symptoms: Coughing, choking, rapid breathing, fever, wheezing, blue lips/skin.
Causes: Ingestion followed by aspiration of kerosene into the lungs.
Risk Factors: Children in households storing fuel in beverage bottles.
Diagnosis: Chest X-ray showing chemical pneumonitis, arterial blood gas.
Treatment: Oxygen therapy, nebulization, avoiding gastric lavage (high risk of aspiration).
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Description: Inhalation of carbon monoxide gas, blocking oxygen transport in the blood.
Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, cherry-red skin color.
Causes: Inhaling smoke from fires, poorly ventilated heaters, or car exhaust.
Risk Factors: Working in closed spaces with burning fuel, fire accidents.
Diagnosis: Carboxyhemoglobin levels in blood, arterial blood gas.
Treatment: High-flow 100% oxygen therapy, hyperbaric oxygen.
Sedative Overdose (Benzodiazepines)
Description: Ingestion of excessive amounts of sedative medications, causing central nervous system depression.
Symptoms: Extreme drowsiness, slurred speech, confusion, shallow breathing, coma.
Causes: Intentional or accidental misuse of sedative medications.
Risk Factors: Patients prescribed sedatives, history of drug abuse.
Diagnosis: Urine toxicology screen, clinical examination.
Treatment: Airway protection, intravenous fluids, Flumazenil (specific antidote).
Methanol Poisoning
Description: Ingestion of toxic industrial alcohol, causing severe metabolic acidosis and blindness.
Symptoms: Severe headache, dizziness, visual disturbances ('snowfield vision'), hyperventilation.
Causes: Ingestion of adulterated or bootleg liquor.
Risk Factors: Consuming unverified country liquor.
Diagnosis: Arterial blood gas (high anion gap acidosis), serum osmolar gap, serum methanol.
Treatment: Fomepizole or ethanol (antidotes), sodium bicarbonate, urgent hemodialysis.
Alcohol Poisoning (Acute)
Description: Ingestion of large amounts of ethanol in a short period, depressing central nervous system functions.
Symptoms: Confusion, vomiting, seizures, slow breathing, cold clammy skin, loss of consciousness.
Causes: Binge drinking or accidental ingestion of ethanol-containing products.
Risk Factors: Binge drinking, peer pressure.
Diagnosis: Blood alcohol concentration, blood glucose levels (risk of hypoglycemia).
Treatment: IV hydration, glucose infusion, airway monitoring, stomach pumping (rare).
Digoxin Toxicity
Description: Overdose or accumulation of the cardiac drug digoxin, causing arrhythmias.
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, visual changes (yellow-green halos), confusion, irregular pulse.
Causes: Accidental overdose, renal impairment leading to drug accumulation.
Risk Factors: Elderly patients, chronic renal failure, hypokalemia.
Diagnosis: Serum digoxin levels, ECG (classic sagged ST segment, arrhythmias), electrolytes.
Treatment: Digoxin-specific antibody fragments (DigiFab), managing potassium levels.
Iron Supplement Poisoning
Description: Accidental ingestion of high doses of iron tablets, common in young children.
Symptoms: Severe vomiting, diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal pain, followed by shock and liver failure.
Causes: Ingestion of high-dose iron tablets.
Risk Factors: Children reaching adult iron supplements.
Diagnosis: Serum iron levels, abdominal X-ray (radiopaque pills in stomach).
Treatment: Deferoxamine (specific chelating agent), whole bowel irrigation.
Lead Poisoning (Acute)
Description: Toxic buildup of lead in the body, causing neurological and gastrointestinal dysfunction.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain ('lead colic'), metallic taste, muscle weakness, seizures, behavioral changes.
Causes: Ingestion or inhalation of lead-containing paint chips, dust, or contaminated water.
Risk Factors: Living in older houses with lead-based paint, occupational exposure.
Diagnosis: Blood lead levels, complete blood count (basophilic stippling).
Treatment: Chelation therapy (EDTA, succimer), identifying and removing lead source.
Naphthalene Ball Ingestion
Description: Ingestion of mothballs, which can cause red blood cell breakdown (hemolysis).
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pale skin, dark urine, jaundice.
Causes: Accidental ingestion of naphthalene mothballs.
Risk Factors: Young children playing with mothballs.
Diagnosis: CBC showing hemolytic anemia, urine test for hemoglobin.
Treatment: Hydration, urine alkalinization, blood transfusion (if severe hemolysis occurs).
Snake Venom Cardiotoxicity
Description: Systemic cardiotoxic symptoms following venomous bites, monitored by toxicologists.
Symptoms: Palpitations, chest tightness, irregular heart rate, drop in blood pressure.
Causes: Viper or cobra bites introducing cardiotoxic venom components.
Risk Factors: Delayed ASV administration after venomous bite.
Diagnosis: Serial ECGs, cardiac troponin tests.
Treatment: Polyvalent ASV infusion, cardiovascular support, intensive ICU monitoring.
