TOLUENE TOXICITY

Course overview

TOLUENE, OR TOLUOL, IS AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON USED AS A SOLVENT IN PRODUCING GASOLINE, GLUE, PAINT, PAINT THINNERS, AND CLEANING SOLUTIONS, AMONGST OTHER PRODUCTS. THE HYDROCARBON IS PREFERRED OVER BENZENE, WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANT TOXICITY AND CARCINOGENICITY ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE. ALTHOUGH LESS TOXIC THAN BENZENE, TOLUENE IS NOT WITHOUT ITS RISKS. IN ADDITION TO LONG-TERM EXPOSURE RISKS, TOLUENE IS ALSO ABUSED AND MISUSED OWING TO ITS ABILITY TO INDUCE EUPHORIA AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION.CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO LEVELS ABOVE THE RECOMMENDED LIMIT CAN PRODUCE METABOLIC ACIDOSIS, ELECTROLYTE ABNORMALITIES, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT DUE TO CEREBELLAR ATAXIA OR ATROPHY, VENTRICULAR ENLARGEMENT, AND WHITE MATTER ABNORMALITIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, TOXICOKINETICS, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF TOLUENE TOXICITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.