1. GIT AND SKIN ABSORPTION: If it is well absorbed dermally, the skin must be promptly washed with clean water. If it is poorly absorbed orally, activated charcoal and saline laxatives may be considered even when several hours have lapsed since ingestion.
2. APPARENT VOLUME OF DISTRIBUTION (Vd): The Vd influence the duration of action as well as the effectiveness of elimination methods. If the toxicant has a large apparent volume of distribution extracorporeal methods such as dialysis is not efficient and therefore not useful clinically.
3. MAJOR ROUTE OF ELIMINATION: The integrity of the major route of elimination should be established early on presentation.
Forced diuresis may be considered for poisons eliminated predominantly renally. Optimal liver function is required for hepatic elimination. Hepatic enzyme inducers may used as adjuncts to accelerate hepatic elimination. In contrast, it's discouraged in case of exposure to pro-poisons.
4. HALF-LIFE: The half life of a toxicant is useful in determining the observation period. Patients exposed to poisons with prolonged half-life require prolonged observation period and vice versa.
5. MEDIAN LETHAL DOSE (LD50): The LD50 measures the potency of poisons. The smaller the LD50 the more toxic and dangerous a poison which then require prompt and aggressive management.
6. pKa: This is the pH in which the ionized and the unionized forms of the poison are in equilibrium. It is useful in predicting the impact of pH manipulation to accelerate poison elimination. Low pKa means alkalinisation increases its retention in vasculature and urine and hence ease of renal excretion.
7. MECHANISM OF ACTION: This is useful in designing physiological and/ or pharmacological antagonism. This is in addition to predicting and anticipating the
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