toxicology
All content is checked by medical journalists.Toxicology studies the harmful effects of chemical substances on living things, especially on humans. Clinical toxicology focuses on the detection and treatment of poisoning.
A distinction is made between acute and chronic poisoning. Acute poisoning occurs, for example, with drug overdoses, snake bites or the consumption of toxic substances.
Chronic poisoning can result from general environmental toxins or the inhalation of toxic substances at work. The ingestion of foreign substances through food, drinking water, breathing air or the soil can also lead to chronic poisoning. Particular mention should be made of the carcinogenic effects of aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, fine dust and diesel soot particles.
The following types of poisoning are very common:
- Drug poisoning
- Poisoning with household chemicals such as washing-up liquid, descaler or dishwashing detergent
- Consumption of poisonous plants (lily of the valley, privet, poinsettia)
- Food poisoning
- Mushroom poisoning
- Poisoning from cosmetics
- Smoke poisoning (fatal acute poisoning)
- Drug overdose (fatal acute poisoning)
- Bites or stings from poisonous animals (adder, black widow and other venomous spiders, scorpions, etc.)
Sub-areas of toxicology
Toxicology is concerned with the nature of the various poisons and their health effects. There are different sub-areas of toxicology. These include:
Food toxocology: It focuses on the harmful substances in food and in drinking water. These can have a natural origin or have been caused by human activity.
Toxicology of consumer goods: It examines the harmful substances in consumer goods such as cosmetics.
Environmental toxicology / ecotoxocology: It deals with harmful substances in the environment (water, air and soil) that can have negative effects on humans and animals.
Drug toxicology: It analyzes the undesirable effects of drugs (side effects).
Toxicology of biocides: It deals with the undesirable and harmful effects of substances and products that are used against pests and pests (pesticides, rat poison, mosquito spray, antibacterial cleaning agents, etc.).
Act quickly in the event of poisoning!
If poisoning is suspected, the emergency doctor should be alerted immediately. Acute poisoning in particular can be immediately life-threatening. Quick help is then required. Some clinics offer a poison control center where relatives can find out what to do before the emergency doctor arrives (first aid measures).
Toxicological screening
Whether acute or chronic - the decisive factor for the correct treatment of poisoning is which poison is responsible. If this is not known, toxicologists use special screening programs that examine the patient for the most important toxins. There are also special screenings for selected substance groups that search more specifically.
Antidote
Once the triggering poison has been identified, appropriate therapy can be initiated. In the case of acute poisoning in particular, the administration of an antidote can save lives. This is an antidote that can stop or at least slow down the action of the poison in the body. For some poisons it is also possible to remove them from the blood and the body deposits with suitable substances.
