Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T18:21:22.533Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3.8.1 - Toxicology

from Section 3.8 - Intoxication with Drugs or Environmental Toxins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

By
Timothy Snow
Edited by
Ned Gilbert-Kawai ,
Debashish Dutta  and
Carl Waldmann
Ned Gilbert-Kawai
Affiliation:
The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Debashish Dutta
Affiliation:
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow
Carl Waldmann
Affiliation:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
Get access

Summary

Key Learning Points

  1. 1. A systematic approach is needed for the assessment of a patient who has taken an overdose, and it should follow standard resuscitation algorithms.

  2. 2. Symptoms of drug overdose can produce a constellation of symptoms known as a ‘toxidrome’, knowledge of which aids identification and management when the specific drug is unknown.

  3. 3. Mixed overdose of multiple agents is common, and each agent may potentiate and prolong the effects of others.

  4. 4. Medications administered in the treatment of an overdose should be used judiciously. They too can potentiate some of the toxic effects.

  5. 5. Early engagement from both the psychiatric and the drug and alcohol liaison teams can aid step down from the intensive care unit.

Keywords

toxicologydrug overdosepoisoningsuicide
Type
Chapter
Information
Intensive Care Medicine
The Essential Guide
 , pp. 297 - 306
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References and Further Reading

Rasimas, JJ, Sinclair, CM. Assessment and management of toxidromes in the critical care unit. Crit Care Clin 2017;33:521–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, TN, Thompson, JP. Illegal substances in anaesthetic and intensive care practices. Contin Educ Anaesth Crit Care Pain 2013;13:42–6.Google Scholar
Wyatt, J, Illingworth, R, Graham, CA, Hogg, K, Robertson, C, Clancy, M. Toxicology. In: Wyatt, J, Illingworth, R, Graham, C, Hogg, K, Robertson, C, Clancy, M (eds). Oxford Handbook of Emergency Medicine, 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2012. pp. 179–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zimmerman, JL. Poisonings and overdoses in the intensive care unit: general and specific management issues. Crit Care Med 2003;31:2794–801.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×