06. Poisoning with Drugs

Sheila A Doggrell

Discipline of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point, GPO Box 2434, QLD 4001, Australia

Phone +61 7 38705741 Fax +61 7 31381534 Email sheila.doggrell@qut.edu.au

Reviewer required

Key words: poisoning with drugs, acute poisoning, treatment of poisoning, preventing absorption, enhancing elimination, combating pharmacological and toxicological effects

Contents

6. Poisoning with drugs

6.1 Acute poisoning

6.2 Treatment of poisoning – general

6.3 Preventing absorption

6.4 Enhancing elimination

6.5 Combating pharmacological and toxicological effects

Poisoning with drugs

All drugs are poisons. Unfortunately, when medicines are given at higher doses than recommended, their effects are no longer limited to beneficial with the possibility of some adverse effects, but become poisonous. Drugs of abuse are also poisonous. Poisoning with drugs is a relatively common reason for attendance at the emergency department of the hospital. For example, In Western Australia, there are about 500 hospital admissions for paracetamol poisoning each year.