76. How overdose of drugs can cause death?
Users gradually increase the drug intake as tolerance grows. When
tolerance develops to effects like euphoria, the increased drug intake
may be dangerously high and may lead to respiratory depression, coma
and death.
The purity of illegal drugs like heroin can only be guessed at. A user may
use the same quantity as usual but may unknowingly take an overdose
if the quality is superior to what he has been using so far.
A combination of alcohol and sleeping pills is particularly dangerous.
While alcohol is readily absorbed and the effect is felt immediately,
sleeping pills take longer to act. The user may continue to drink alcohol
under the impression that he is not “high”enough. Later on resulting
overdose can cause death.
77. After how much time features of organophosphorus poisoning
appears?
In fatal cases the symptoms begins in ½ hour and death results in ½ to 3
hours. In non-fatal cases, the effect last for about 30 hours and fade off
in the next 48-72 hours. Occasionally the symptoms last up to 3 weeks.
The symptoms will be according to route of entry the respiratory or
gastro-intestinal symptoms are more marked. However most common
symptoms are vomiting, constricted pupil, pulmonary edema,
giddiness, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, salivation, lacrimation
and stupor. Symptoms may also include severe muscular weakness,
mental confusion, diarrhoea, tenesmus, delirium, are lexia,
incontinence, bronchorrhoea, convulsion, electrolyte imbalance,
shock or coma. Kerosene or garlic like smell has been observed in cases
of diazinon poisoning.
78. What is the fatal dose of organophosphorus compounds?
Tetra ethyl pyrophosphate (TEPP) is the most toxic and Hydroxy ethoxy phenyl - thymine (HEPT) the least. The single dose that will
produce symptoms is 5mg intramuscular or 25 mg orally, while 45-50
mg of TEPP intramuscular or 25-100mg orally will be fatal. About
80mg of parathion given intramuscularly or intravenously or 25175mg orally will also be fatal to an adult weighing 70 kgm.
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