Emergency Toxicology

Summary 

Suitable for: SHOs and registrars in all surgical specialties; emergency medicine doctors

This course involves a combination of short lectures, simulation scenarios and interactive workshops to review the basics of toxicological emergencies and their challenging presentations in acute care.

Topics covered include:

  • Criminal toxicology
  • The approach to the poisoned patient
  • Toxidromes
  • Common poisoning emergencies including paracetamol, opiates, tricyclic antidepressants, salicylates, organophosphates, iron
  • Managing the hot seizing poisoned patient
  • Managing the bradycardic hypotensive poisoned patient
  • Illicit drugs In Irish EDs
  • Alcohol and toxic alcohols
  • Modifications to resuscitation in poisoned patients

Learning outcomes

  • Develop and practice a systematic approach to toxicological emergencies
  • Review and establish common poisoning toxidromes and management algorithms
  • Establish a differential diagnosis for the hot seizing patient post-overdose
  • Review the toxicology of ethanol and other alcohols in the ED
  • Establish knowledge of the more common illicit drugs causing ED presentations
  • Review and practice changes to standard resuscitation algorithms in patients who may have taken an overdose