Master the board step 3

Emergency Medicine/Toxicology
Opiate Intoxication
Opiate toxicity leads to death from respiratory depression. One cannot die
from opiate withdrawal.
Treat acute overdoses with naloxone.
Organophosphates
Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholinesterase, blocking the metabolism of
acetylcholine and, therefore, enormously increasing the effect of acetylcholine.
Look for either of these in the presentation:
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Crop duster exposed to insecticides
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Nerve-gas attack
Organophosphate overdose presents with the following symptoms:
Make sure not to spread
the contaminant. When
caring for victims of a
nerve-gas attack, be
certain to be protected.
The toxin is absorbed
through the skin.
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Salivation
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Lacrimation
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Urination
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Diarrhea
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Wheezing from bronchospasm
Treatment
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Best initial therapy: Atropine
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Most effective therapy: Pralidoxime
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Remove the clothes and wash the rest off the patient.
Tricyclic Antidepressants
Death over overdose on tricyclic antidepressants occurs from the following:
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Seizures
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Arrhythmia
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