PHOSGENE TOXICITY

Course overview

PHOSGENE IS A HYDROPHOBIC, GASEOUS PULMONARY IRRITANT WITH A UBIQUITOUS PRESENCE IN TODAY'S INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE AS A CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATE. ITS TOXICITY RANGES FROM MILD IRRITATION TO SEVERE PULMONARY EDEMA, AND NO ANTIDOTE OR REVERSAL AGENT EXISTS AT THIS TIME. DESPITE ITS WIDESPREAD USE, SOME REGIONS POORLY REGULATE ITS PRODUCTION, AND CONCERN EXISTS FOR ITS POTENTIAL AS A WEAPON OF BIOTERRORISM, MAKING IT A TOPIC OF INTEREST. GIVEN ITS SEVERE TOXICITY AND HIGH MORTALITY, RESEARCH IS PRIMARILY LIMITED TO ANIMAL STUDIES AND CASE SERIES. THE ARTICLE PRESENTS THE BACKGROUND OF PHOSGENE, ITS PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CHARACTERISTIC HISTORICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES, AND PROPOSED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES REQUIRED BY INTER-PROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS.