Category: Toxicology
Keywords: methadone (PubMed Search)
Posted: 10/18/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
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Many who work in urban EDs and have a patient population that has a high rate of methadone use have probably wondered - why don't I see many STEMIs in the ED?
One study has actually attempted to answer the question - is methadone cardioprotective? Comparing 98 decedents with known long-term methadone exposure and compared autopsy coronary artery findings to match controls without, there was significant decrease in incidence of severe CAD:
5/98 Methadone Patients post-mortem had severe CAD vs 16/97 match controls
Better than a baby ASA, who knew?
[I thank Dr. Hoffman for citing this article to me]
Coronary artery disease and opioid use.
Marmor M, Penn A, Widmer K, Levin RI, Maslansky R.
Am J Cardiol. 2004 May 15;93(10):1295-7.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: charcoal, prehospital, EMS, gastrointestinal decontamination (PubMed Search)
Posted: 10/9/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 10/11/2012)
(Updated: 10/11/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
Activated charcoal is most effective if given within 1 hour of overdose.
Prehospital administration of charcoal can be challenging, but may save significant time compared to waiting until arrival to the ED. The patient has to be transported by EMS, registered, seen by a provider, order for charocal placed...
Two studies evaluated the time difference between prehospital and hospital administration of GI decontamination.
Bottom line: Don't underestimate the amount of time that goes by before you evaluate non-crashing patients upon arrival to the ED. If the story supports an overdose and the patient doesn't have contraindications for receiving charcoal, recommend it be given in the prehospital setting for greatest potential benefit.
Wax PM, Cobaugh DJ. Prehospital gastrointestinal deconatmination of toxic ingestions: a missed opportunity. Am J Emerg Med 1998;16:114-6.
Crockett R, et al. Prehospital use of activated charcoal: a pilot study. J Emerg Med 1996;14(3):335-8.
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Category: Toxicology
Keywords: propylene glycol, lorazepam, phenytoin (PubMed Search)
Posted: 10/4/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
Ever have that alcholic who requires lorazapam doses that start to approach 10mg? 20mg? or even higher. The next step is usually a lorazepam infusion and then send them to the ICU. In the ICU, the patient develops an unexplained anion gap lactic acidosis.
Check a Lactate - lorazepam has 80% propylene glycol (PG). PG is metabolized to lactate which can accumulate when a lorazepam infusion at an elevated dose is running constantly. Hypotension, bradycardia and even other EKG changes have been reported. Simply discontinue the infusion and assess your acid-base status.
Other IV meds that contain PG:
lorazepam - 80% PG
Phenytoin - 40% PG
Phenobarbital - 67.8%
Diazepam - 40% PG
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: Cannabinoid,hyperemesis, marijauna (PubMed Search)
Posted: 10/4/2012 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
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Michael Hiotis PharmD, CSPI. ToxTidbits. Maryland Poison Center Sep 2012
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: arsenic, rice (PubMed Search)
Posted: 9/20/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
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Just when you think buying organic protects you from chemicals and pesticide, along comes the studies detecting arsenic in rice products and specficially in organic foods with brown rice organic sweetener. An organic toddler milk formula reportedly had 6x EPA standards for safe drinking water limit.
The more toxic arsenic is the inorganic arsenic which can cause neuropathy but after chronic exposure can cause a classic arsenic keratosis - see attached pic. The inorganic is seen commonly in seafood and is more easily excreted by the body. Unfortunately, in the study referenced here, inorganic As was the predominant type.
Arsenic, organic foods, and brown rice syrup.
Jackson BP, Taylor VF, Karagas MR, Punshon T, Cottingham KL.
Environ Health Perspect. 2012 May;120(5):623-6. Epub 2012 Feb 13.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: cyanide, smoke inhalation, enclosed-space fire, carbon monoxide (PubMed Search)
Posted: 9/7/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 9/13/2012)
(Updated: 9/13/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are two of the main gases causing injury and death from smoke inhalation in fire victims. During the first phase of a fire, and prior to depletion of oxygen reserves and subsequent production of CO, formation of HCN from the thermal breakdown of nitrogen-containing materials may be the primary cause of lethal poisoning in an enclosed-space fire.
A recent, retrospective, observational study from Poland assessed the prevalence of toxic HCN exposure in victims of enclosed-space fires.
Important findings:
Conclusion: The high prevalence of coincident HCN concentrations and COHb levels in victims of enclosed-space fires emphasises the need to suspect HCN as a co-toxin in all persons rescued from fire who show signs and symptoms of respiratory distress.
Grabowska T, et al. Prevalence of hydrogen cyanide and carboxyhaemoglobin in victims of smoke inhalation during enclosed-space fires: a combined toxicological risk. Clin Toxicol 2012;50:759-63.
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Category: Toxicology
Keywords: organophosphates, intermediate syndrome (PubMed Search)
Posted: 9/6/2012 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
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Category: Toxicology
Keywords: LSD, hashish, marijuana, jobs (PubMed Search)
Posted: 8/30/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
I was reading the biography of Steve Jobs looking for incredible insights into leadership and innovation. I have realized that you basically have to be a genuis and it doesn't matter what you do. His favorite drug was LSD which he believed was necessary to improve creativity and innovation. His description of the hallucinations confirm that he was taking this drug.
We describe LSD hallucinations as a crossing of the senses or "synesthesias" - you hear the color blue, you see the smell of roses.
Steve Jobs describes a moment in a wheat field while on LSD and (paraphrasing from the biography) ..." the wheat was playing Bach beautifully"
If you have a patient describing this type of hallucination you can almost be guaranteed that they have taken LSD or some other tryptamine.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: valproic acid, carnitine (PubMed Search)
Posted: 8/23/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
Patients that experience altered mental status (specifically lethargy) and are on valproic acid - check a serum ammonia level regardless if it is an overdose or just therapeutically on VPA.
If the ammonia is elevated in combination with the mental status change consider administration of L-carnitine either po or IV. It will lower the ammonia and improve the mental status within hours.
High risk patients for hyperammonia who therapeutically take VPA are certain pediatric patients that experience malnutrition, have seizure disorder and are on multiple seizure medications.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Erasme University Hospital, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. plheureu@ulb.ac.be
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: acetaminophen, Rumack-Matthew nomogram, diphenhydramine, opioid (PubMed Search)
Posted: 8/8/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 8/9/2012)
(Updated: 8/9/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
There is a growing recognition of patients who have a subtoxic acetaminophen level at the 4-hour mark, but then still go on to have a toxic level later.
This is concerning in that we usually can exclude the chance for toxicity if the 4-hour, post-ingestion level is < 150 mcg/mL following an acute ingestion (plotted on Rumack-Matthew nomogram).
It still is not clear exactly what subset of patients need to have a second level drawn, but a recurring theme seems to be ingestion of acetaminophen in combination with agents that slow GI motility, such as diphenhydramine or opioids. It may be worth ordering a second APAP level (possibly at 8 hours) in patients ingesting these prodcuts.
Dougherty PP, Klein-Schwartz W. Unexpected late rise in plasma acetaminophen concentrations with change in risk stratification in acute acetaminophen overdoses. J Emerg Med 2012;43:58-63.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: CIWA, alcohol, withdrawal (PubMed Search)
Posted: 7/26/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
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CIWA-Ar (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised)
The use of a scoring system for the disposition of an ethanol withdrawal patient can be helpful. The CIWA-Ar Score can guide both treatment in the ED as well as admission versus discharge. Most studies have verified that a score of <8 can be treated outpatient; 8-15 requires treatment and >15 wil require admission/IV benzodiazepines.
N/V: 0-7 (None to Constant N/V)
Tremor: 0-7 (None to Severe even with arms not extended)
Sweats: 0-7 (None to Drenching Sweats)
Anxiety: 0-7 (None to panic attack/delirium)
Agitation: 0-7 (None to pacing/thrashing during interview)
Tactile Disturbance: 0-7 (Mild itching to Continuous Hallucinations)
Auditory Disturbances: 0-7 (None to Continuous Hallucinations)
Visual Disturbances: 0-7 (None to Continuous Hallucinations)
Headache: 1-7 (Miild to Extremely Severe)
Orientation: 0-4
Go to this website to see the actual tool and how it should be administered:
http://www.regionstrauma.org/blogs/ciwa.pdf
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: cocaine, levamisole, leukoencephalopathy (PubMed Search)
Posted: 7/10/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 7/12/2012)
(Updated: 7/12/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
Levamisole is a pharmaceutical with anthelminthic and immunomodulatory properties that was previously used in both animals and humans to treat inflammatory conditions and cancer.
It has been identified as a cocaine adulterant in the U.S. since 2003, with the DEA estimating that by 2009 up to 70% of cocaine seized contained levamisole.
Leukopenia, agranulocytosis, and vasculitis are well known complications of levamisole use.
One important complication to keep in mind is the possibility of multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy (MIL). Although no formal case of leukoencephalopathy in the setting of cocaine use has yet been reported, various neurological side effects were described with levamisole therapy, the most concerning complication being MIL.
Larocque A, Hoffman RS. Levamisole in cocaine: Unexpected news from an old acquaintance. Clin Toxicol. 2012;50:231-41.
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Category: Toxicology
Keywords: envenomation,stings,jellyfish (PubMed Search)
Posted: 7/5/2012 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
Click here to contact Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
No one treatment has demonstrated consistency of pain relief from jellyfish stings over all species; conversely, a treatment for one species may worsen an envenomation from another.
Deionized water, seawater, meat tenderizer, and urea treatment do not appear to produce any improvement in pain sensation.
Ammonia, acetic acid, and ethanol may cause an increased stinging sensation, and in most species vinegar may cause nematocyst discharge.
Application of topical lidocaine reduced the local sensation of pain (10% and 15% produced immediate pain relief), and hot water results in pain relief in the majority of patients tested.
Ward NT, Darracq MA, Tomasewski C, Clark RF. Evidence-Based Treatment of Jellyfish Stings in North America and Hawaii. Article published online, Annals of Emergency Medicine June 8, 2012.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: thrombocytopenia, sulfa, bactrim (PubMed Search)
Posted: 6/28/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
Though an uncommon event, Drug-Induced Autoimmune thrombocytopenia occurs in a variety of drugs. Having recently diagnosed a patient that was receiving the "double-dose" bactrim for an MRSA abscess, it is worth mentioning the other drugs that have been reported to do it. Platelet count can go down to lethal levels and result in death due to the coagulopathy. Treatment is effective with platelets and no contraindication like in TTP.
Drugs that have been reported to do it:
abciximab, acetaminophen, amiodarone, amphotericin B
Carbamazepine, danazol, diclofenac, digoxin
Methyldopa, procainamide
Rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: transplant, cyclosporine, tacrolimus (PubMed Search)
Posted: 6/21/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
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Transplant patients are the norm now in the ED. Their drug lists are immense and are usually on some form of immunosuppression to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. Two common medications are cyclosporine and tacrolimus. They share many adverse effects like hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and hypertension. Here is the mechanism of action and some unique adverse effects to these powerful immunosuppressants (there are many more so be wary):
1) Cyclosporine - suppresses T-cell activation and growth. Unique toxicity - painful neuropathy of the fingertips and toes, cortical blindness
2) Tacrolimus - simiar to cyclosporine but actually hampers T-cell communication/signal transduction. Unique toxicity - can also cause cortical blindness but is also known to cause diabetes/hyperglycemiad
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: azithromycin, cardiovascular, death (PubMed Search)
Posted: 6/12/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 6/14/2012)
(Updated: 6/15/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
Ray WA, Murray KT, Hall K, et al. Azithromycin and the Risk of Cardiac Death. N Engl J Med 2012;366:1881-90.
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Category: Toxicology
Keywords: Warfarin,vitamin K,coagulation,INR,supratherapeutic (PubMed Search)
Posted: 6/7/2012 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
Click here to contact Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
It may not be necessary to give oral vitamin K to patients that are not bleeding that have INRs between 4.5 and 10.
Patients who were supratherapeutic on warfarin were randomized to vitamin K 1.25 mg (n=355) versus placebo (n=369).
In the 90 days after enrollment, 15.8% of patients allocated to vitamin K and 16.3% allocated to placebo had a bleeding event. Major bleeding events occurred in 9 patients in the vitamin K group and 4 in the placebo.
Thromboembolic events occurred in 1.1% of patients in the vitamin K group, compared to 0.8% of patients in the placebo group. An equal number of patients died in each group (n=7).
Crowther MA, Ageno W, Garcia D, et. al. Oral Vitamin K Versus Placebo to Correct Excessive Anticoagulation in Patients Receiving Warfarin. Ann Intern Med 2009, 150:293-300.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: Nitrous Oxide (PubMed Search)
Posted: 5/24/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
Nitrous Oxide(N2O) is a common gas utilized to assist with procedural sedation especially in the pediatric population and dental offices. It has a long track history of safety but also has been abused.
N2O is 35x more solube in blood than N2. This means any air-filled space can have pressure increase thus complications like pneumothorax, TM rupture and bowel distention can occur.
When abused chronically can cause bone marrow suppression, B12 deficiency and resulting in polyneruopathy.
On the street, "whip its" are N2O from whipped cream containers. Balloons filled with N2O are inhaled which combine nitrous oxide and hypoxia effects.
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: vitamins (PubMed Search)
Posted: 5/17/2012 by Fermin Barrueto, MD
(Updated: 5/29/2023)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD
More and more people are going to holistic medicine and "naturopaths". These have been an interesting source of toxicology case reports due to therapeutic misadventures. Vitamins have been an ever increasing adjunct to these health philosophies. The following are the vitamins and their related toxicity in overdose:
Vitamin A: Pseudotumor cerebri, increase ICH, hair thinning, hepatotoxicity
Vitamin D: Hypercalcemia
Vitamin E: can antagonize vitamin K particularly in vitamin K deficient people, could result in coagulopathy
Vitamin K: problem if supplement contains this and patient on coumadin, ask patient
Vitamin C: Association with increased kidney stones though controversial
Category: Toxicology
Keywords: lactate, lactic acid, ethylene glycol (PubMed Search)
Posted: 5/9/2012 by Bryan Hayes, PharmD
(Emailed: 5/10/2012)
(Updated: 6/15/2012)
Click here to contact Bryan Hayes, PharmD
Ethylene glycol can result in elevated lactate concentrations secondary to hypotension and organ failure in severely poisoned patients. However, lactate production by these mechanisms tends to result in serum concentrations less than 5 mmol/L.
Unfortunately, higher lactate levels don't necessarily rule out ethylene glycol. The glycolate metabolite causes a false-positive lactate elevation when measured by some analyzers, particularly with whole blood arterial blood gas analyzers. Specific models implicated include: ABL 625, Radiometer ABL 700, Beckman LX 20, Chiron 865, Bayer (formerly Chiron) 860, Rapidlab (Bayer) 865, Integra and to a lesser extent, Hitachi 911 analyzers, but not the Vitros 950 or Vitros 250.
The degree of lactate elevation directly correlates with the concentration of glycolate present, and the artifact probably results from the lack of specificity of the lactate oxidase enzyme used in these machines.
Woo MY, et al. Artifactual elevation of lactate in ethylene glycol poisoning. J Emerg Med. 2003;25:289-93.
Fijen J, et al. False hyperlactatemia in ethylene glycol poisoning. Intensive Care Med. 2006;32:626-7.
Brindley PG, et al. Falsely elevated point-of-care lactate measurement after ingestion of ethylene glycol. CMAJ. 2007;176:1097-9.
Manini AF, et al. Relationship between serum glycolate and falsely elevated lactate in severe ethylene glycol poisoning. J Anal Toxicol. 2009;33:227-9.
Morgan TJ, et al. Artifactual elevation of measured plasma L-lactate concentration in the presence of glycolate. Crit Care Med. 1999;27:2177-9.
Porter WH, et al. Interference by glycolic acid in the Beckman Synchron method for lactate: a useful clue for unsuspected ethylene glycol intoxication. Clin Chem. 2000;46:874-5.
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