Poisoning

General or Other | Emergency Medicine | Poisoning (Disease)


Description

A poison is any substance that is harmful to the body. A person might swallow it, inhale it, inject it or absorb it through the skin.

Causes and Risk factors

Poisons can include: prescription or over-the-counter medicines taken in doses that are too high, overdoses of illegal drugs, carbon monoxide from gas appliances, household products, such as laundry powder or furniture polish, pesticides, indoor or outdoor plants, metals such as lead and mercury. The dangers of poisoning range from short-term illness to brain damage, coma and death.

Diagnosis and Treatment

To prevent poisoning it is important to use and store products exactly as their labels say. Keep dangerous products where children cant get to them. Treatment for poisoning depends on the type of poison. If you suspect someone has been poisoned, call your local poison control center right away. pecac was previously used to induce vomiting in poisoned patients where there was a chance to get the toxin out of the body. ...