title: Update in medical toxicology.
abstract: This article examines some current issues in toxicologic care. First there is a review of the scope of pediatric poisonings and some aspects of initial management. Then there is a discussion of the decision-making process required to properly use gastric decontamination in the management of poisonings. Each of the common methods available--emesis, gastric lavage, activated charcoal, catharsis, and whole bowel irrigation--is discussed. Finally, several new and old antidotes are reviewed, namely naloxone, glucagon, bicarbonate, dimercaptosuccinic acid, digoxin-specific fab fragments, and flumazenil.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Emergency Service, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Goldfrank
mesh_terms: D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000639:trends*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000628:therapy*; D014116:Toxicology / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes