What are the symptoms of organophosphate?
Organophosphates are used as medications, insecticides, and nerve agents as a weapon. Symptoms include increased saliva and tear production, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, small pupils, sweating, muscle tremors, and confusion. The onset of symptoms is often within minutes, and it can take weeks to disappear.
What is phosphate poisoning?
Ingestion of elemental white or yellow phosphorus typically causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, which are both described as “smoking,” “luminescent,” and having a garlic-like odor. Other signs and symptoms of severe poisoning might include dysrhythmias, coma, hypotension, and death.
How do you detect OP poisoning?
In general, intact organophosphates cannot be detected in the blood due to rapid hydrolysis by the liver. Therefore, the most commonly used test to confirm acute organophosphate poisoning is measurement of plasma cholinesterase activity.
What happens in OP poisoning?
Organophosphate poisoning is poisoning due to organophosphates (OPs). Organophosphates are used as insecticides, medications, and nerve agents. Symptoms include increased saliva and tear production, diarrhea, vomiting, small pupils, sweating, muscle tremors, and confusion.
What is the most common cause of phosphorus toxicity?
The most common cause is kidney disease, but other conditions can lead to phosphate levels being out of balance. Phosphate is a chemical found in the body. It contains a mineral called phosphorus that occurs naturally in many foods.
How does phosphorus poisoning happen?
Phosphorus spontaneously ignites on contact with air, producing toxic fumes (phosphorus oxides). Phosphorus reacts violently with oxidants, halogens, some metals, nitrites, sulfur, and many other compounds. This causes a fire and explosion hazard. Phosphorus reacts with strong bases to produce toxic phosphine gas.
What is the official antidote for phosphorus poisoning?
Management of yellow phosphorus (YP) poisoning is supportive with no antidote available.
How does poison react in the body?
When ingested the poison is absorbed through the GI tract and small intestine. When absorbed through the skin the toxin passes first through the pores, then into the subcutaneous tissues and then finally into the blood stream.
What drug is used for beta blocker poisoning?
For cases of beta-blocker poisoning where symptomatic bradycardia and hypotension are present, high-dose glucagon is considered the first-line antidote.
How much phosphorus is lethal?
Acute phosphorus intoxication has been a familiar syndrome for many years. It has been stated that ingestion of as little as 15 mg of elemental yellow phosphorus may cause symptoms, and 60 mg can be fatal. In one study mortality rate was recorded as 50% 3 and, in another study, 48% of those who ingested large doses.
What are the most common organophosphate poisoning symptoms?
Possible symptoms of organophosphate poisoning include narrowed pupils, and glazed over or watery eyes. Organophosphate poisoning symptoms can range from mild to severe. In more severe cases, a person may die from the toxicity. The length and strength of the exposure will determine the nature of someone’s symptoms.
What are the signs and symptoms of OP poisoning?
Necropsy of patients who died following OP poisoning has revealed cardiac discoloration or blotchiness, patchy pericarditis, auricular thrombus and right ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation.[12]
What are the signs and symptoms of white phosphorus toxicity?
Oral ingestion of white phosphorus is conducive to the fatal form of PP. Frequent symptoms after ingestion are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and hypotension. Patients typically deteriorate rapidly and enter a coma.
What should a pharmacist do if a patient has organophosphate toxicity?
The pharmacist must ensure that the patient is on no other medication that can exacerbate the cholinergic crises. In addition, the pharmacist should be aware that in organophosphate toxicity, hundreds of milligrams of atropine may be required.