Critical Care Toxicology

Numerous references describe the initial treatment of the acutely poisoned patient; however, this new book is the first major critical care toxicology resource that details patient care from hospital admission and treatment all the way through stabilization, monitoring, and discharge. It presents practical, state-of-the-art treatment recommendations based on initial and subsequent presentation of symptoms, and describes when it's safe to discharge the patient.

This issue of Critical Care Clinics, guest edited by Dr. Janice L. Zimmerman, focuses on Toxicology. This is one of four issues each year selected by the series consulting editor, Dr. John Kellum. Articles in this issue include, but are not limited to: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles for toxicology, Use of extracorporeal techniques in poisonings, Drugs of Abuse, Cardiovascular Drug Toxicity, Anticoagulant and Anti-platelet Drug Toxicity and Psychotropic Agents.

This critical care toxicology resource details patient care from hospital admission and treatment all the way through stabilization, monitoring, and discharge. It presents practical, state-of-the-art treatment recommendations based on initial and subsequent presentation of symptoms, and describes when it's safe to discharge the patient. Individual sections comprehensively cover general management of the critically poisoned patient, toxic syndromes, poisoning by medications, drugs of abuse, chemical agents, biological toxins, agents of chemical and biological terrorism, and antidotes.

"Building on the previous edition with contributions from internationally renowned experts this book provides a fully comprehensive resource for managing the post emergency/treatment stage of acute poisoning. Chapters incorporate evidence-based paradigms with up-to-date citations from the original medical literature. Topic areas covered include: diagnosis and management of the critically poisoned patient, including pediatric patients and poisoning in pregnancy; toxic syndromes including hepatoxic and pulmonary syndromes as well as poisonings from medications, drugs of abuse, chemical and biological agents. This book is an essential resource for Clinical Toxicologists, Intensivists and Emergency Medicine specialists in training and in practice." - Prové de l'editor.

Poisoning is a far more serious health problem in the U.S. than has generally been recognized. It is estimated that more than 4 million poisoning episodes occur annually, with approximately 300,000 cases leading to hospitalization. The field of poison prevention provides some of the most celebrated examples of successful public health interventions, yet surprisingly the current poison control "system" is little more than a loose network of poison control centers, poorly integrated into the larger spheres of public health. To increase their effectiveness, efforts to reduce poisoning need to be linked to a national agenda for public health promotion and injury prevention. Forging a Poison Prevention and Control System recommends a future poison control system with a strong public health infrastructure, a national system of regional poison control centers, federal funding to support core poison control activities, and a national poison information system to track major poisoning epidemics and possible acts of bioterrorism. This framework provides a complete "system" that could offer the best poison prevention and patient care services to meet the needs of the nation in the 21st century.

Overdose and poisoning are one of the most frequent acute medical presentations seen in emergency departments, and high dependency and intensive care facilities. The Oxford Desk Reference: Toxicology provides an authoritative guide for the management of patients with poisoning. Each chapter includes key clinical features and potential treatment options to help physicians to assess the potential severity of the poisoned patient and provide the optimum clinical care. A reader-friendly layout ensures that information is easy to find and assimilate, and topics are self-contained to aid quick diagnosis. Presented in an easy-to-use double-page spread format, highly bulleted and concise, the Oxford Desk Reference: Toxicology is ideal for quick referral when an acute problem arises. Contributions from the leading figures in toxicology make this book indispensable for all those involved with the management of poisoned patients, especially trainees and consultants working in emergency medicine, acute medicine, and critical care.