title: Antidote use in the critically ill poisoned patient.
abstract: The proper use of antidotes in the intensive care setting when combined with appropriate general supportive care may reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with severe poisonings. The more commonly used antidotes that may be encountered in the intensive care unit (N-acetylcysteine, ethanol, fomepizole, physostigmine, naloxone, flumazenil, sodium bicarbonate, octreotide, pyridoxine, cyanide antidote kit, pralidoxime, atropine, digoxin immune Fab, glucagon, calcium gluconate and chloride, deferoxamine, phytonadione, botulism antitoxin, methylene blue, and Crotaline snake antivenom) are reviewed. Proper indications for their use and knowledge of the possible adverse effects accompanying antidotal therapy will allow the physician to appropriately manage the severely poisoned patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Sparrow Health System, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Lansing, Michigan 48912-1811, USA. peckb73@hotmail.com
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Betten
authors.forename: Rais B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Vohra
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Matteucci
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes