title: Oral poisonings: guidelines for initial evaluation and treatment.
abstract: The initial evaluation and management of poisoned patients should be comprehensive and include an accurate history whenever possible, stabilization of the patient's condition, a physical assessment to evaluate the extent of poisoning and the presence of concurrent conditions, decontamination of the gastrointestinal tract using activated charcoal, gastric lavage, administration of ipecac or irrigation, poison-specific treatment with administration of antidotes when indicated and proper disposition. Consultation with a poison control center is often helpful in assessing and treating these patients.
authors.affiliation: East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cummings
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002606:Charcoal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004639:Emetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D006801:Humans; D007486:Ipecac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D004639:Emetics; D002606:Charcoal; D007486:Ipecac