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Toxic Ingestion — Enhanced Elimination — Clinical Pathway: Emergency Department, ICU and Inpatient

Toxic Ingestion Clinical Pathway — Emergency Department, ICU and Inpatient

Enhanced Elimination

Consult Poison Control Center to determine suitability, timing, and dosing.

Urinary Alkalinization

  • Indication
    • Weak acids
  • Example Substances
    • Salicylates
    • Rarely: chlorpropamide, phenobarbital
  • Mechanism
    • Prevents reabsorption of substance in kidneys enhancing urinary excretion
  • Administration
    • IV sodium bicarbonate
    • Poison Control Center consultation available for precise IV fluid composition and dosing advice
  • Comments
    • Can cause hypokalemia
    • Requires close electrolyte monitoring

Multiple Dose Activated Charcoal

  • Indications
    • Rarely recommended, consider for substances with:
      • Enterohepatic recirculation and/or
      • Bind strongly with activated charcoal
      • Low volume of distribution and low protein binding
  • Example Substances
    • Carbamazepine
    • Phenobarbital
    • Salicylates
    • Theophylline
  • Mechanism
    • Interrupts enterohepatic circulation
    • “Intestinal dialysis” effect: pulls substances along a concentration gradient from intestinal vasculature into the intestinal lumen to be bound to activated charcoal
  • Administration
    • PO or NG
    • Repeated in 2-4 hrs
    • Re-evaluation after 2-3 doses
  • Comments
    • Aspiration, emesis risk with administration
    • Requires intact peristalsis

Hemodialysis

  • Indications
    • Small molecular weight compounds with low volume of distribution and low protein binding
    • Significant, reversible metabolic disturbances associated with poisoning
  • Example Substances
    • Lithium, salicylates, theophylline, toxic alcohols
    • Refer to EXTRIP list   for additional substances
  • Mechanism
    • Removal via diffusion and convection through dialysis membrane
  • Administration
    • Intermittent versus CRRT
  • Comments
    • Initiate timely consultation with nephrology and PICU for management/disposition

 

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