Poisoning: first aid, types of poison, medications most commonly linked to poisoning, snakes, insects. Food poisoning: signs that you may have a more serious case of food poisoning that requires medical attention. Symptoms, treatment and prevention of poisoning.

1. Poisoning
Vėjūna Guzulaitytė, MF I k., 9 gr.
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2. Poisoning is when a
person is exposed to a
substance that can
damage their health or
put their life in danger.
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3. The most common way a person becomes poisoned is
by swallowing a harmful substance, although you can
also be poisoned by:
• inhaling a harmful substance;
• injecting a harmful substance;
• harmful substances, such as pesticides,
splashing on your skin or eyes;
• being poisoned by an insect or animal bite;
• overdosing on an illegal drug or medication.
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4. The symptoms of poisoning will depend on the
type of poison and the amount taken in, but
general things to look out for include:
• being sick;
• stomach pains;
• high temperature;
• breathing difficulties;
• drowsiness and fainting fits;
• reduced levels of consciousness.
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5. How to help?
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6. • If you think someone has swallowed
poison and they appear to be
unconscious, try to wake them and
encourage them to spit out any pills. Do
not put your hand into their mouth and
do not try to make them sick.
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7. • If you are waiting for medical help to
arrive, lie the person on their side
with a cushion behind their back and
their upper leg pulled slightly
forward, so they do not fall on their
face or roll backwards.
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8. • Wipe any vomit away from
their mouth and keep their
head pointing down to
allow any vomit to escape
without them breathing it
in or swallowing it.
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9. • Do not give them anything to eat
or drink.
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10. Types of poisons
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11. • overdose of medication;
• household products;
• cosmetic items;
• some types of plants and fungi;
• snake and sting bites;
• certain types of chemicals and pesticides.
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12. The medications most commonly
linked to poisoning are:
• Paracetamol;
• Aspirin;
• Tricyclic antidepressants;
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs);
• Beta-blockers;
• Calcium-channel blockers;
• Benzodiazepines;
• Opioids.
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13. The second most common cause of poisoning is household
products, which account for around one in five cases.
These can include:
• cleaning products, such as bleach, caustic
soda and disinfectant;
• cosmetics, such as baby oil, shampoo and nail
varnish remover;
• DIY products, such as paint, glue and
wallpaper paste;
• garden products, such as weedkiller and rat
poison.
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14. Insects and snakes
Bees and wasps inject poison into your skin
when they sting you, which can cause pain,
swelling and itchiness.
Bites from poisonous snakes can cause
diarrhoea and sickness. How severely you
are affected by a poisonous bite or sting
depends on the amount of venom (poison)
injected and whether you are allergic to it.
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15. Snakes sometimes bite without injecting any venom . This is
called a ‘dry’ bite and may cause:
• mild pain caused by the snake’s teeth puncturing
the skin;
• anxiety;
• if a snake injects venom when it bites it can cause
more serious symptoms including:
1. swelling and redness in the area of the bite
2. nausea
3. vomiting
4. faintness
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16. Food can sometimes cause poisoning if:
• it goes mouldy;
• it becomes contaminated with bacteria from
raw meat;
• it has not been prepared or cooked properly.
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17. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin one to
three days after eating contaminated food.
They include:
• feeling sick;
• vomiting;
• diarrhoea;
• stomach cramps.
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18. Most people with food poisoning will get better
without the need for treatment. In the
meantime, you can relieve the symptoms of
food poisoning by:
• drinking plenty of fluids;
• eating easily digested food, such as toast,
until you feel better;
• resting.
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19. Signs that you may have a more serious case of
food poisoning that requires medical attention
include:
• vomiting that lasts for more than two days;
• not being able to keep liquids down for more
than a day;
• diarrhoea that lasts for more than three days
or is bloody;
• fever.
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20. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas
that has no smell or taste. Breathing it
in can make you unwell and it can kill.
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21. A headache is the most common symptom
of mild carbon monoxide poisoning. Other
symptoms include:
• dizziness and nausea;
• vomiting;
• tiredness and confusion;
• stomach pain;
• shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
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22. Symptoms of CO poisoning
that develop later include:
• confusion;
• memory loss;
• co-ordination problems.
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23. If you have breathed in high levels of CO gas, it is
likely that you will experience more severe
symptoms. These may include:
• impaired mental state and personality changes;
• vertigo;
• ataxia;
• breathlessness and tachycardia;
• chest pain caused by angina or a heart attack;
• seizures;
• loss of consciousness.
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24. The most common substances involved in cases of
child poisoning are:
• Cosmetics;
• Cleaning products;
• Painkillers;
• Medications that come in cream, lotion or
ointment form;
• Foreign bodies, such as small coins or batteries;
• Cough and cold medications;
• Plants;
• Vitamins;
• Antibiotics.
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25. Treatment
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26. A person who is poisoned is normally
admitted to hospital for observation. A
substance known as active charcoal
may be given to stop the poison being
absorbed into the blood
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27. Prevention
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28. There are several steps you can take to
reduce your (or your child’s) risk of
poisoning. These include carefully
reading the patient information leaflet
that comes with your medication and
making sure any poisonous substances
are locked away out of the sight and
reach of your children.
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29. Sourcers:
• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/poisoning/article_em.htm
• http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/PoisoningPrevention.aspx
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/poisoning.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison
• http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Poisoning/Pag
es/Introduction.aspx
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