Chemical warfare agents |
| |
| Authors: | Geoghegan, James Tong, Jeffrey L |
| |
| Affiliation: | Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Dudley Road, Birmingham B18 7QH, UK
Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, University Hospital Birmingham Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6JD, UK
Tel: +44 0121 6271627, Fax: +44 0121 6978340, E-mail: jefftong@doctors.org.uk (for correspondence) |
| |
| Abstract: | The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. Key points- Chemical personal protective equipment must be wornwhen in contact with contaminated casualties.
- Recognizing theclinical features of chemical warfare agent poisoning allowssupportive treatment and appropriate antidotes to be promptlyadministered.
- The mnemonic DUMBELS describes the muscarinicfeatures of the nerve agent poisoning toxidrome.
- There areeffective antidotes for poisoning with nerve agents, blood agents(metabolic poisons), botulinum toxin and kolokol-1.
- There areno specific antidotes for blistering agents (vesicants) andchoking agents.
Chemical warfare (CW) agents are chemical substances that havea direct toxic effect on plants, animals and humans. Classifiedaccording to their physiological effects, agents effective againsthumans include nerve agents, blistering agents (vesicants),blood agents, choking agents and toxins. Incapacitating, vomiting,psychoactive and riot control agents (e.g. CS gas) also exist.1 All personnel in contact with contaminated casualties must wearthe appropriate level of chemical personal protective equipment(CPPE) until adequate decontamination is . . . [Full Text of this Article] | Nerve agents | AChE inhibitionOther cholinesterasesPhysical propertiesLatency and toxicityPharmacological propertiesClinical manifestationsTreatmentPyridostigmineAtropinePralidoxime |
