The Clinical Presentation of Toxic Trauma: Assessment and Diagnosis

Abstract

Detailed information about the released toxic agent causing toxic trauma may not be immediately available to emergency medical physicians. Diagnosis and appropriate early treatment, therefore depend on careful history taking and examination. Collections of signs and symptoms, known as toxidromes, have been described and are of use in establishing a diagnosis. However, toxidromes may not always be clear cut, and there are many individual variations. Signs and symptoms develop with variations in latency. This chapter considers the key practice points in assessing patients who have been exposed to toxic agents and describes the classic toxidromes for chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals.