Toxic inhalational injury

A middle-aged patient presented with toxic inhalational injury, and was resuscitated prehospitally and treated in the emergency department for smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and cyanide poisoning with the use of antidotes. Due to the CO effects on spectrophotometry, an anaemia initially identified on blood gas analysis was thought to be artefactual, but was later confirmed by laboratory testing to be accurate. In addition, cyanide can confound haemoglobin testing due to its use in the analytical process and non-cyanide analysis is required when there is suspected exposure. Although no consensus exists on a first-line cyanide antidote choice, hydroxocobalamin is the only antidote without a serious side effect profile and/or deleterious cardiovascular effects. We propose prehospital enhanced care teams consider carrying hydroxocobalamin for early administration in toxic inhalational injury.

Toxic Gases

This review looks at the potential causes, diagnoses, and possible treatments for three asphyxiant gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen sulfide, Exposure to these gases can lead to central nervous system depression, unconsciousness, and death due to tissue hypoxia. These gases are among the most common causes of fatalities related to toxic gas poisoning, with carbon monoxide responsible for 36% and hydrogen sulfide 7.7%. It is necessary to remove victims affected by poisoning immediately from the source of the toxic gas, administer oxygen, and assess their stability. As symptoms of these gases can differ widely, ranging from broad and unspecific to highly morbid, and may require different levels of care, the correct diagnosis should also rely on inferences from the patient history and the context of the admission, including evidence of fire and chemical reactions. Normobaric oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen are the two main treatments for carbon monoxide, although studies have been inconclusive in regards to the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen. The Cyanokit (containing hydroxocobalamin) is considered to be more effective for hydrogen cyanide when compared with the Cyanide Antidote Kit due to the former’s low toxicity and high effectiveness. Hydrogen sulfide is often used as a suicide agent, the mortality of which is close to 100%. Figures show the mechanisms by which the asphyxiant gases carry out their negative effects on the human body. Tables show the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin with oxygen therapy and a comparison between the Cyanide Antidote Kit and the Cyanokit. This review contains 3 figures, 13 tables, and 44 references. Keywords: Inhalation, poisoning, carbon monoxide, cyanide, methemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, hydrogen sulfide, smoke

Toxic Gases

This review looks at the potential causes, diagnoses, and possible treatments for three asphyxiant gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen sulfide, Exposure to these gases can lead to central nervous system depression, unconsciousness, and death due to tissue hypoxia. These gases are among the most common causes of fatalities related to toxic gas poisoning, with carbon monoxide responsible for 36% and hydrogen sulfide 7.7%. It is necessary to remove victims affected by poisoning immediately from the source of the toxic gas, administer oxygen, and assess their stability. As symptoms of these gases can differ widely, ranging from broad and unspecific to highly morbid, and may require different levels of care, the correct diagnosis should also rely on inferences from the patient history and the context of the admission, including evidence of fire and chemical reactions. Normobaric oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen are the two main treatments for carbon monoxide, although studies have been inconclusive in regards to the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen. The Cyanokit (containing hydroxocobalamin) is considered to be more effective for hydrogen cyanide when compared with the Cyanide Antidote Kit due to the former’s low toxicity and high effectiveness. Hydrogen sulfide is often used as a suicide agent, the mortality of which is close to 100%. Figures show the mechanisms by which the asphyxiant gases carry out their negative effects on the human body. Tables show the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin with oxygen therapy and a comparison between the Cyanide Antidote Kit and the Cyanokit. This review contains 3 figures, 13 tables, and 44 references. Keywords: Inhalation, poisoning, carbon monoxide, cyanide, methemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, hydrogen sulfide, smoke

Toxic Gases

This review looks at the potential causes, diagnoses, and possible treatments for three asphyxiant gases: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen sulfide, Exposure to these gases can lead to central nervous system depression, unconsciousness, and death due to tissue hypoxia. These gases are among the most common causes of fatalities related to toxic gas poisoning, with carbon monoxide responsible for 36% and hydrogen sulfide 7.7%. It is necessary to remove victims affected by poisoning immediately from the source of the toxic gas, administer oxygen, and assess their stability. As symptoms of these gases can differ widely, ranging from broad and unspecific to highly morbid, and may require different levels of care, the correct diagnosis should also rely on inferences from the patient history and the context of the admission, including evidence of fire and chemical reactions. Normobaric oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen are the two main treatments for carbon monoxide, although studies have been inconclusive in regards to the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen. The Cyanokit (containing hydroxocobalamin) is considered to be more effective for hydrogen cyanide when compared with the Cyanide Antidote Kit due to the former’s low toxicity and high effectiveness. Hydrogen sulfide is often used as a suicide agent, the mortality of which is close to 100%. Figures show the mechanisms by which the asphyxiant gases carry out their negative effects on the human body. Tables show the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin with oxygen therapy and a comparison between the Cyanide Antidote Kit and the Cyanokit. This review contains 3 figures, 13 tables, and 44 references. Keywords: Inhalation, poisoning, carbon monoxide, cyanide, methemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, hydrogen sulfide, smoke