Toxicology Handbook

The first edition of the Toxicology Handbook provided the platform for an alternative approach to risk management and risk stratification in evaluating and treating patients with toxicological syndromes. It is written and edited by 7 of the 16 clinical toxicologists working in Australasia.
The authors have had excellent feedback from the first edition and have taken on board suggestions from reviewers, clinicians and readers to make enhancements for the second edition.
The Toxicology Handbook provides a standardised clinically based approach to management of all toxicological presentations . The following enhancements are proposed for the new edition.

Toxicology Handbook, 2nd Edition

By Lindsay Murray, MB, BS, FACEM, Frank Daly, MBBS, FACEM, David McCoubrie, Jessamine Soderstrom, Ovidu Pascu, Jason Armstrong and Mike Cadogan, MA(Oxon), MBChB, FACEM

Section 1: Introduction

* Who are the authors

* Scope of the book

o Handbook of acute management of common poisonings.

o Hands on and practical approach.

o Rationale for drugs included

* How to use the book

* Universal disclaimer

Clinical: Approach to the poisoned patient

* Overview of approach to toxicology/toxinology

* Principles of risk assessment-based approach

* Resuscitation, Risk assessment, Supportive care, Decontamination, Investigations, Enhanced elimination, Antidotes, Disposition

Section 2: Approach to specialist toxicology problems

* Approach to special problems: Approach to snakebite, mushroom poisoning, plant poisoning

* Toxidromes: Serotonin syndrome, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, anticholinergic syndrome, cholinergic syndrome

* Important poisoning manifestations and management: Seizures, coma, hypotension, delirium and agitation

* Drugs of abuse and withdrawal syndromes: Alcohol, amphetamines, opiods, sedative hypnotics, body packers and stuffers

* Investigations: Laboratory results: acidosis, anion gap and osmolar gap, recommended baseline investigations with interpretation. Unit conversion table: ECG interpretation in poisoning: Radiology.

* Special populations: Paediatric poisoning: 1 tablet can kill (list), special precautions in management (overnight stay, paracetamol, risk of charcoal etc); Pregnancy and lactation and poisoning; and Geriatric poisoning

Section 3: Toxic Drugs (78 chapters)

* Approach to diagnosis, investigation and management of the poisoned patient with all of the common drug presentations. Updated with 8 new drug chapters as per readers nominations and feedback

Section 4: Antidotes (29 chapters)

* Detailed description of indications, contraindications, clinical administration and therapeutic end-points for all antidotes. New chapter on Intralipid, the latest development in antidote therapy

Section 5: Toxinology (16 chapters)

* Approach to snakebite, spider and marine envenoming. New chapter on tick envenoming

Section 6: Antivenom (11 chapters)

* Detailed description of indications, contraindications, clinical administration and therapeutic end-points for all antivenoms

Appendices Sample ECGs from poisoned patients; Drug concentrations and unit conversion chart; Guide to the management of allergic reaction to antivenom