DEADLY SINGLE DOSE AGENTS

Course overview

ALTHOUGH THE BASICS OF EVALUATING AND TREATING MOST UNKNOWN INGESTANTS ARE WELL KNOWN, MANY OVERDOSES REQUIRE VERY SPECIFIC TREATMENT IF THE PATIENT IS TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. DESPITE WIDESPREAD PUBLIC EDUCATION, CHILDPROOF CONTAINERS, AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES, ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSES CONTINUE TO OCCUR. IN THE UNITED STATES, POISON CONTROL CENTERS RECEIVE OVER 2.2 MILLION CALLS EACH YEAR, 47% OF WHICH CONCERN CHILDREN LESS THAN SIX YEARS OF AGE. MOST PEDIATRIC ACCIDENTAL INGESTIONS INVOLVE COSMETICS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, FOLLOWED BY CLEANING PRODUCTS, AND THEN ANALGESICS AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS. ADULT OVERDOSES USUALLY ARE DUE TO THE INTENTIONAL INGESTION OF ANALGESICS AND SEDATIVE-HYPNOTICS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE DEADLY SINGLE DOSE TOXIC AGENTS AND DISCUSSES THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN EDUCATING FAMILIES ON PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM EXPOSURE TO THESE AGENTS.