Lessons from the field: compound-specific management in acute pesticide poisoning.
Vasundhara R VermaThomas LambMd Abdus SattarAniruddha GhoseMichael EddlestonPublished in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2024)
Pesticide poisoning is a common medical emergency in the rural tropics, with significant associated mortality. Pesticide poisoning is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide variety of substances with differing clinical toxidromes and outcomes. Despite this, confirmation of the specific compound ingested is rarely performed. In this Lessons from the Field, we argue that pesticide-specific management is integral to optimise management. Using data from a quality improvement project in Chittagong, Bangladesh, we demonstrate that identifying the specific compound is possible in most patients through careful history taking and examination of the pesticide bottle. Identification of the specific compound is essential for anticipating and reducing complications, administering appropriate and timely management and reducing the length of hospital stay and cost of unnecessary medical intervention.
Keyphrases
- risk assessment
- healthcare
- emergency department
- randomized controlled trial
- public health
- end stage renal disease
- risk factors
- cardiovascular disease
- ejection fraction
- systematic review
- newly diagnosed
- liver failure
- south africa
- prognostic factors
- intensive care unit
- quality improvement
- drug induced
- metabolic syndrome
- patient reported outcomes
- adverse drug
- emergency medical
- acute care