NERVE AGENTS

Course overview

NERVE AGENTS REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN TOXICOLOGY AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE. PATIENTS AFFECTED BY NERVE AGENTS PRESENT PRIMARILY WITH SYMPTOMS OF CHOLINERGIC EXCESS, NAMELY INCREASED SECRETIONS, RESPIRATORY DISTRESS, AND PARALYSIS. DIAGNOSIS IS CLINICAL, AND MANAGEMENT IS AGGRESSIVE SUPPORTIVE CARE WITH TIMELY USE OF ANTIDOTES ATROPINE AND PRALIDOXIME. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF NERVE AGENTS, THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH NERVE AGENT POISONING, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS POISONED WITH THESE AGENTS.