Key Concepts Acetaminophen concentration should be measured in patients with intentional oral overdoses. Acetaminophen poisoning is relatively silent clinically until serious hepatotoxicity ensues. Repeated supratherapeutic dosing of acetaminophen can lead to life-threatening toxicity. Use the acetaminophen concentration on the nomogram…
As eloquently stated by Paracelsus in the 16th century, “all substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy.” Key Concepts Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one or…
Key Concepts The classic finding of an elevated osmolar and anion gap should raise suspicion of methanol or ethylene glycol toxicity but may not be present depending on the timing of ingestion. Early ingestion has a high osmolar gap without…
Key Concepts Toxidromes are constellations of signs and symptoms based primarily on vital signs and neuropsychiatric functions that are characteristic manifestations of certain toxic exposures. Recognition of the presence of a toxidrome can suggest a potential intoxicant and guide early…
Key Concepts Patients contaminated with radiation pose minimal risk to health care providers when appropriate precautions and decontamination procedures are employed. Decontamination should not delay or impede emergency stabilization of patients with radiation exposure. Tissues with greater rates of cellular…
Key Concepts Drowning is a leading cause of death and loss of years of life with over 90% of cases occurring in lower- and middle-income countries. Cost-effective prevention strategies have been developed for settings where resources limit treatment for drowning…
Acknowledgment The author would like to acknowledge Drs. Benjamin Honigman, Michael Yaron, Ryan D. Paterson, and Christopher B. Davis for their contributions to previous editions of this chapter. Key Concepts All forms of altitude illness can be treated with oxygen…
Key Concepts The majority of dive injuries are diagnosed on the basis of the focused dive history and physical examination and are best differentiated into disorders of descent, disorders of depth, and disorders of ascent. The U.S. Navy Diving Manual…
Acknowlegments The authors wish to acknowledge and thank Kelly P. O’Keefe and Rachel Semmons for their valuable contributions, expertise, and authorship of this chapter in previous editions. Key Concepts Electrical current follows the path of least resistance, which is often…
Key Concepts Classic heatstroke is generally diagnosed in older patients with comorbidities during heat waves, whereas exertional heatstroke is more common in young athletic patients or military personnel. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are a continuum of the same pathophysiologic process.…