Drug poisoning in adults often happens due to ignoring the doctor’s instructions and the instructions that accompany the medication. Symptoms of an overdose largely depend on the general state of health, the type of medication taken, and, of course, its dosage. But all cases of drug poisoning are united by one thing - the victim under any circumstances needs emergency first aid.
A little information
Drug poisoning is accidental and deliberate. In the first case, children are more likely to experience this condition, while adults are only exposed to minor intoxication. If we are talking about a deliberate overdose, you can get quite a serious poisoning. Such intoxication is considered extremely dangerous - in the absence of appropriate assistance, even a fatal outcome is possible.
Most often, an overdose of several groups of medicines occurs: antipyretic drugs, analgesics, antidepressants, hypnotics, and tranquilizers. Due to the fact that narcotic compounds can also be presented in the form of drugs, poisoning by them is diagnosed quite often.
Causes
Drug poisoning (according to ICD-10 - T36-T50) can occur for various reasons:
- deviation from the recommended dosage;
- reception of expired funds;
- uncontrolled therapy;
- combination of drugs of different groups that cannot be combined;
- wrong choice of drug.
In fact, such intoxication can lead to very sad, and sometimes even irreparable consequences. So do not neglect this condition.
ICD-10 drug poisoning codes are from T36 to T50.
Common symptoms
In each case, drug poisoning may have certain characteristics. Depending on the type of medication provoking it:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - sudden abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. In some cases, there is also a feeling of coldness in the arms and legs, severe shortness of breath, increased salivation, blurred vision.
- Cardiac glycosides - delusional state, fainting, arrhythmia, vomiting and pain in the abdomen are likely.
- Antidepressants - lowering blood pressure, visual impairment, confusion.
- Antihistamines - drowsiness, redness of the integument, rapid pulse, dry mouth, shortness of breath, lethargy.
- Antiseptic drugs - nausea and acute pain.
- Analgesics - migraine, tinnitus, fainting, heavy sweating.
- Preparations for diabetics - vomiting, a sharp increase in appetite, apathy, anxiety, paralysis of the legs and arms, dizziness, perspiration, increased pressure, impaired speech function.
- Hypnotics - alternate drowsiness and excessive agitation, deep sleep can take the form of a coma.
- Drugs that affect the liver and kidneys - the occurrence of failure, pain in the lower back or in the right hypochondrium. Often, such poisoning occurs while taking antibiotics or alcohol.
Features
In addition, other symptoms may occur that are characteristic of intoxication associated with any drug:
- redness or blanching of the skin;
- unusual odor from the mouth;
- dilated or narrowed pupils - most often observed in case of poisoning by a group of opiates.
But be that as it may, with the manifestation of such symptoms, the victim should be given emergency assistance, call a team of doctors and try to find out from the patient what specific medications he was taking.
General rules for assisting with drug poisoning
Whatever the means of poisoning a person, the first thing you need to call a team of doctors and take emergency resuscitation measures:
- Try to find out exactly which medication the victim took and in what quantity.
- If the drug was administered orally, rinse the stomach and give the patient sorbents. But keep in mind that such a procedure is contraindicated in case of poisoning by cauterizing agents, for example, potassium permanganate, iodine, ammonia. as well as acids and alkalis.
- If the medication got inside through the lungs, take the victim out into the street, and let him catch his breath. Rinse your mouth, eyes, nose and throat with cool water.
- If the medicine gets into your eyes, wash them thoroughly, then apply a gauze bandage or use glasses. To eliminate inflammation and disinfection, use Albucid or Levomycetin.
- Then give the patient a rest and ensure his comfort until the arrival of specialists.
Whatever the drug poisoning was provoked, the liver almost always suffers more than other organs. To normalize its work, it may take some time and the use of certain medications. You can achieve a positive result with the help of hepatoprotectors and dietary supplements with lecithin, omega-3, selenium, amino acids, chromium and antioxidants. Although it is best to consult a doctor for advice.
Barbiturate poisoning
Almost all derivatives of these drugs are absorbed fairly quickly, and for the most part by the digestive tract. The lethal dosage is 10 medical doses of the drug.
Acute drug poisoning with hypnotic effect is characterized by suppression of the central nervous system. A key sign is respiratory failure and the active development of oxygen starvation. Very quickly, breathing becomes intermittent and too rare.
In this case, the patient is depressed reflex function. Pupils initially narrow and respond to lighting, and then expand, there is no reaction. Death can occur against the background of paralysis of the respiratory section and a significant violation of blood flow.
There are several stages of drug poisoning of a group of sleeping pills:
- the first is falling asleep, excessive drowsiness, a delayed reaction, apathy appears, but a person is able to communicate;
- the second is a superficial coma, fainting is observed;
- the third is a deep coma, the absence of all reflexes is observed, the central nervous system is suppressed;
- the fourth is a post-coma state in which consciousness gradually returns.
Possible complications of such intoxication are: pneumonia, bedsores, tracheobronchitis.
First aid
Barbiturate poisoning requires emergency intervention. The first step is to remove the poison from the body. To do this, you should resort to washing using about 10-14 liters of water, while it is advisable to use a probe. If the victim is conscious, you can artificially induce vomiting after taking warm water. In this case, you can use ordinary salt, mustard powder, or subcutaneously administer Apomorphine.
For the accelerated withdrawal of barbiturates, drinking plenty of fluids and taking diuretics is recommended. In severe drug poisoning, intravenous administration of a 5% glucose or sodium chloride solution is indicated.
To prevent the development of pneumonia and a sharp increase in temperature, antibiotics are prescribed - intramuscularly Amidopyrine. To normalize vascular tone, vasoconstrictor drugs are used. To activate the heart, fast-acting glycosides are needed. If the patient’s heart has stopped, it is necessary to introduce adrenaline and massage.
Antidepressant Poisoning
This group of drugs is characterized by rapid absorption in the stomach and distribution throughout the body, which increases the toxic effect. The prognosis for such poisoning is always extremely serious, because mortality with such intoxication reaches 20% when consumed more than a gram of the active substance.
First of all, the cardiovascular and central nervous system suffers. Almost immediately after poisoning, overexcitation occurs, hallucinations, the temperature drops. Respiratory function is gradually suppressed and a coma develops. With such poisoning, the main causes of death are often cardiac arrest and cardiopathy.
The patient's pupils dilate, the oral cavity dries up, the digestive tract is disrupted, sometimes intestinal paresis occurs.
First aid for drug poisoning of the antidepressant group
The first step is to rinse the stomach with soda, salt or activated carbon. The procedure must be carried out in the first 2 hours after the incident, and then repeat. It is advisable to use an enema.
Effective in this situation are considered emetic drugs. It is strictly forbidden to use cardiac glycosides, if breathing problems are observed, mechanical ventilation is necessary.
"Hypertensin" is used to normalize vascular tone. To eliminate convulsions and overexcitation, administration of "Aminazine" and barbiturates is required. Doctors also recommend the intravenous administration of Physostigmine. This medication lowers heart rate and raises blood pressure.
Tranquilizer poisoning
Symptoms are manifested in the suppression of the functions of the central nervous system. Due to muscle weakness, tremors appear, the heartbeat is disturbed, and pressure drops. The main symptom of drug poisoning of the group of tranquilizers is considered to be increased peristalsis of the digestive tract, accompanied by dry mouth.
In severe intoxication, other signs are also noted: hallucinations, confusion, convulsions, severe agitation. In addition, the occurrence of tachycardia, blue skin, breathing problems is not excluded.
How to help
The priority is played by timely flushing using activated carbon, a laxative from salt and a siphon enema. Equally important is the use of drugs for the normal functioning of the heart - Cocarboxylase, Strofantin, Korglikon, vasoconstrictor medications, as well as alkaline solutions. In the future, oxygen therapy is recommended for patients.
Poisoning with antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs
With this intoxication, tinnitus, visual impairment, all kinds of indigestion, including diarrhea, rapid noisy breathing, most often appear. With severe lesions, the development of a coma is not excluded. It is not uncommon for patients to experience uterine and nosebleeds. The further prognosis for such drug poisoning (ICD-10 code is T39) is most often favorable.
Help
After washing the stomach with a probe, a glass of liquid paraffin is introduced inside, after which a laxative is taken - 20 g of sodium sulfate. The victim is shown abundant drinking and enemas every hour. Such therapy is necessary before normal breathing.
Cardiovascular poisoning
With this intoxication, intravenous drip of novocaine with glucose is necessary, as well as intramuscular administration of magnesium sulfate and subcutaneous administration of diphenhydramine. If drug poisoning (according to ICD-10 - T46) led to the appearance of convulsions and shortness of breath, the use of a 10% solution of barbamil 8-10 ml intravenously at intervals of half a minute is required. Such therapy is carried out until the seizures are eliminated. Enema is also used with a one percent solution of chloral hydrate.
If the described help in case of drug poisoning of a group of glycosides was unsuccessful, intravenous administration of "Ditilin" followed by artificial respiration is necessary. If the pulse becomes too rare, the use of Atropine and intravenous calcium chloride is required. In the future, oxygen therapy is recommended to the patient.