Unit 2.3 Health Effects

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• Unit 2.3Health Effects

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Key Terms

• Toxicity ? Ability of a substance to cause injury
• Poison ? Material that causes harm at low doses
• Toxin ? Product of a living organism
• Toxicant ? Man-made

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Types of Poisons

• CNS

• Hemotoxins
• Necrotics
• Neurotoxins
• Asphyxiants
• Simple displacement
• Pathological
• Irritants

• Pulmonary

• Cardio-Vascular

• Liver (hepatic)

• Kidney (renal)

• GI tract

• Reproductive

• Blood bone marrow

• DNA the protein synthesis process

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Types of Poisons

• CNS

• Nephrotoxins
• Hepatotoxins
• Mutagens
• Tetratogens
• Carcinogens

• Pulmonary

• Cardio-Vascular

• Liver (hepatic)

• Kidney (renal)

• GI tract

• Reproductive

• DNA the protein synthesis process

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Influences of Toxicity

• Physical State
• Solid Liquid Gas
• Route of Exposure
• Inhalation
• Size of material
• Solubility
• Fast absorption

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Influences on Toxicity

• Routes of Exposure ? Skin and Eye
• Absorption
• Solubility of material
• Time of contact
• Slow route/good barrier
• Ingestion
• Should not be a problem
• Systemic
• Direct damage to GI tract

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Influences on Toxicity

• Routes of Exposure
• Injection
• Enter through cuts or punctures
• High pressure
• Duration of exposure
• Dose of exposure

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Exposure Limits

• TWA
• Average of exposure for 8 hr day
• PEL ? OSHA
• REL ? NIOSH
• TLV ? ACGIH
• STEL ? 15 min
• Ceiling

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Exposure Limits

• LD (low)
• LC (low)
• LD 50
• LC 50
• IDLH ? Applies to inhalation

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IDLH

• Imediately Dangerous to Life and Health
• Applies to inhalation
• Other IDLH
• Flammable atmospheres
• Oxygen deficient environments
• Structural collapse hazards
• Active shooter situations
• Terrorist and secondary devices

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Influences on Toxicity

• Individual sensitivities
• Environmental factors
• Chemical properties
• Interspecies variation (e.g., health and age
  factors)

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Influences on Toxicity

• Chemical combinations
• Synergism 1 1 3
• Potentiation 1 0 2
• Antagonism 1 1 0

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• Toxic Syndromes
• (Toxidromes)

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Radiological Toxidrome

• Alpha effects (a)
• Beta effects (ß)
• Gamma effects (?)
• Neutron effects
• 100 REM Mild blood effects
• 200 400 REM GI tract effects
• 600 800 REM CNS effects

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Irritant Toxidrome

• Irritants/choking agents
• Cause irritation to skin, eyes, lungs
• Water soluble vs. non water soluble
• Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema

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Corrosive Toxidrome

• Destroy tissue, eyes, skin, lungs
• Water reactive
• Acid
• Coagulum necrosis
• Alkali
• Liquefaction necrosis
• Management Decon, BLS, irrigate eyes

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Asphyxiant Toxidrome

• Asphyxiants
• Affect whole body
• Simple Displace oxygen
• Chemical (pathological) Interferes with the
  bodys ability to use oxygen
• Vesicants/blister agents
• Cause tissue destruction/blisters

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Cholinesterase Toxidrome

• Organophosphates, carbamates and nerve agents
• Primarily nervous system effects
• Highly toxic
• SLUDGEM

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Biological Toxidrome

• Toxins
• Bacteria
• Virus

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Care

• Management Recognition, decon,
• BLS, ALS support
• Antidotal therapy (FL protocols)
• Definitive treatment occurs in a medical facility

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Sources of Information

• Centers for Disease Control
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
  (ATSDR) Toxicological Profiles
• Chemknowlege
• Wireless information
• W.I.S.E.R. Wireless Information System for
  Emergency Responders

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Summary

• Poisons and terminology
• Factors influencing toxicity
• Exposure limits
• Toxidromes

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