Chemical warfare healey
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The document discusses the history and types of chemical warfare agents, including their qualities and classes such as nerve agents, asphyxiants, vesicants, choking agents, and tearing agents. It describes the signs and symptoms of exposure to these agents as well as their management, which involves personal protection, decontamination, supportive care, and specific antidotes for some agents like nerve gases and cyanide poisoning. The document also references the use of chemical weapons in past wars and recent conflicts like the Syrian civil war.
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Chemical warfare healey
- 1. Chemical Warfare Agents Anna Healey, MD PGY-2 4/30/2014
- 2. Objectives Warfare history Qualities of chemical agents Classes of chemical agents Management of exposures Decontamination and protection
- 3. Chemical Warfare in History Poisoned spears and arrows Peloponnesian War: burning wood and sulfur to create noxious smoke to stall the Athenians World War I: over 50k tons of gases used, causing 1.3 million deaths
- 5. Qualities to Consider Individuals vs. population Detectable vs. undetectable Persistent vs. non-persistent Volatility Method of distribution (solid, liquid, gas) System affected (nerve, respiratory, mucous membrane, blood)
- 6. Classes of Agents Nerve agents Asphyxiants/blood agents Vesicant/blister agents Choking/pulmonary agents Tear agents Cytotoxic agents
- 7. Nerve Agents Main effects on nicotinic and muscarinic receptors via acetylcholinesterase inhibition Inhalation or absorption through skin Signs/symptoms: SLUDGE, killer Bs, seizures, muscle fasciculations Rx: atropine/2-PAM Examples: Sarin Insecticides/pesticides VX VR
- 9. Asphyxiants Arsine: causes hemolysis Cyanogen chloride/hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide: blocks oxidative phosphorylation Generally via inhalation Signs/symptoms: confusion, nausea, altered mental status, lactic acidosis, cherry red skin, seizures
- 10. Vesicants/Blister Agents Acid-forming agents that affect mucous membranes and skin; also respiratory tract Cause large blisters with secondary effects, skin/eye/mucous membrane irritation, respiratory distress/failure Examples: Mustard gas Lewisite
- 11. Choking/Pulmonary Agents Also acid-forming, but work primarily in respiratory tract Cause respiratory irritation with cough, dyspnea, sore throat, bronchospasm, suffocation Examples: Chlorine gas Phosgene Nitrogen oxides Hydrogen chloride
- 12. Tearing Agents Tear gas and pepper spray Temporarily incapacitating with stinging of eyes and blurred vision
- 13. Cytotoxic Agents Biological proteins that inhibit protein synthesis Ricin and abrin Inhalation, ingestion, or injection Exposurelatent periodflu-like illness Pulmonary edema, dyspnea, GI hemorrhage, kidney and liver failure
- 14. Management of Exposures PERSONAL PROTECTION DECONTAMINATION SUPPORTIVE CARE Specific antidotes: Nerve agents—atropine/2-PAM Asphyxiants—Cyanokit All others—no antidote
- 15. PPE Presentation
Editor's Notes
- February 2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, US[edit] In February 2008, a man who stayed in a Las Vegas motel room where ricin was found was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The man, Roger Von Bergendorff, was hospitalized on February 14; however, the ricin was not found until February 27 when a relative retrieved his luggage because the motel had not been paid for two weeks. Firearms and an "anarchist type textbook" were found in the same motel room where several vials of ricin were found, police reported. According to Las Vegas 8 Television news, police noted the ricin section of the textbook was highlighted.[19][20] On March 3, FBI agents searched at Riverton, Utah house and several storage lockers in West Jordan, Utah linked to Bergendorff, but did not find any traces of ricin.[21][22] Bergendorff awoke from a coma on March 14. He was questioned by police as to why he had such a large quantity of ricin.[22] Subsequently, he was arrested on April 16 and charged with possession of a biological toxin and two weapons offenses.[23]