Essentials 1 Hymenoptera strings are responsible for one or two deaths annually in Australia. 2 Hymenoptera venom is a common cause of allergy and anaphylaxis (∼3% of population). 3 Anaphylaxis is an absolute indication for venom immunotherapy. 4 Massive envenomation…
Essentials 1 Anticonvulsant overdose typically causes central nervous system effects, but other effects such as cardiotoxicity may be exhibited after the ingestion of certain agents. 2 Multiple doses of activated charcoal can reduce the duration of toxicity in carbamazepine and…
Essentials 1 Carbon monoxide is the commonest agent used in completed suicides by poisoning in Australia and the United Kingdom. 2 Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion and is found in car exhaust, faulty heaters, fires and in industrial…
Essentials 1 Ethanol is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and emergency department (ED) presentation in most Western societies. Presentations may result from acute intoxication, withdrawal or medical complications of chronic ethanol ingestion. 2 Ethanol causes central nervous system (CNS)…
Essentials 1 The mortality from acute paraquat poisoning is high owing to rapid multi-organ failure or delayed progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Ingestion of as little as one mouthful of 20% w/v solution is sufficient to cause death. No satisfactory treatment exists.…
Essentials 1 Acute pesticide poisoning is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, in particular in the Asia-Pacific region. 2 Existing systems for classifying the toxicity of pesticides are imperfect, whereby the toxicity of even ‘slightly hazardous’ pesticides is…
Essentials 1 Patients and medical staff are often unaware of the presence of hydrofluoric acid (HF) in household cleaning products. 2 Topical HF exposures may result in the gradual onset of severe local pain out of proportion to objective clinical…
Essentials 1 Cyanide is a metabolic poison associated with a high mortality. 2 Cyanide toxicity is characterized by rapid onset of central nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular effects and by metabolic acidosis. 3 Cyanide exposure correlates well with serum lactate levels.…
Essentials 1 The diagnosis of intoxication with drugs of abuse is clinical. Good supportive care ensures optimal outcome in the majority of cases. 2 Predisposing factors for opioid-related deaths include co-ingestion of Central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs, poor tolerance,…
Essentials 1 Acute iron poisoning is a potentially life-threatening condition. 2 The risk of severe toxicity is determined by the dose of elemental iron ingested, not the weight of the iron salt. 3 Iron poisoning has both local (gastrointestinal) and…