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Causes of Death and Treatment of Organophosphorus Pesticide Poisoning

Authors:
  • ALANYA ALAADDIN KEYKUBAT UNIVERSITY ALANYA EDUCATION AND RESEARCH HOSPITAL
  • Adana City Training and Research Hospital
  • The Grand National Assembly of Turkey State hospital

Abstract

Abstract Toxication caused by pesticides is a serious health problem in our country. Organophosphates are the leading cause of pesticide toxications in our country, as they are worldwide. These compounds lead to acetylcholine deposition by blocking acetylcholine esterase enzyme, causing muscarinic, nicotinic and central nervous symptoms due to continuous stimulation of the receptors. Mortality occurs in the early period due to acute cholinergic crisis or later in patients with intermediate syndrome. Death is caused by heart conduction disturbances and respiratory failure during the acute cholinergic crisis period, whereas it is due to respiratory failure in patients with an intermediate syndrome. Management of patients with pesticide poisoning should start by providing adequate respiratory and circulatory support followed by antidotes and other medical therapies. In this review, we have aimed to explain the properties and mechanisms of action of organophosphate compounds;with causes of mortality in the poisoning of these compounds and recent approaches for management of toxication. (JAEM 2012; 11: 176-82) Key words: Organophosphorus compounds, poisoning, death
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... Other explanations may be ARDS or aspiration pneumonitis, both of which can independently produce spontaneous pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during the acute phase [14,15]. Laniee et al., in their animal experiment, found that OP poisoning causes exudative infiltration by breaking down the alveolar epithelial-endothelial barrier and that this effect was the beginning of ARDS [16]. Another respiratory complication is paralysis of proximal muscles that particularly affects the muscles of respiration, known as type II paralysis or intermediate syndrome [17]. ...
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