Toxicology

Today we will review the basics of cardiovascular drug effects on the different phases of the action potential.

A two-year-old male presents to the emergency department following the ingestion of his grandmother’s propranolol. Upon presentation, the young boy is lethargic. EKG demonstrates sinus bradycardia (heart rate: 39 beats per minute) and a first degree AV block. How do you treat this patient’s bradycardia? Read this week’s review of beta-blocker toxicity for a rapid refresher.

SILENT syndrome is a severely disabling syndrome that is difficult to diagnose but should be suspected in patients with altered mental status and neurologic changes with a history of lithium use.

A young female presents to the emergency department requesting testing for exposure to gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). How do you advise the patient? Read this week’s review for a number of helpful hints.

This week’s toxcard is on mushrooms! Yummy. Enjoy.

This week’s toxcard is a review on bath salts. Enjoy!

This week’s toxcard is on local anesthic allergy and the use of benadryl as an alternative for local analgesia.

This week’s toxcard is on treatments used for beta blocker and calcium channel blocker toxicity.

What options do you have for GI decontamination, and how do you do it? This week’s ToxCard looks at GI decon in the ED.

This week’s toxcard is on clinical features of phenytoin poisoning and interpreting the phenytoin level.