Prepping communities: Chemical

Question 1

What are agents of opportunity?

Answer 1

Toxic industrial chemicals, poisoning consumer products

Question 2

What some types of chemical weapons?

Answer 2

Nerve agents, blood agents, irritants agents, vessicants, incapacitating agents

Question 3

What are the nerve agents?

Answer 3

Organophophates chemicals (similar to insecticides and high lethal)
Liquids that are vaporized to disseminate (toxin if inhaled, slow onset)

Question 4

What are the muscarinic effects of an organophosphate poisoning?

Answer 4

Defecation
Urination
Miosis
Bronchorrhea, bronchospasm
Emesis
Lacrimation
Secretions/seizures

Question 5

What are the nicotinic effects of an organophosphate poisoning?

Answer 5

Mydiasis
Tachycardia
Weakness
Hypertension
Fasciculation
Seizures

Question 6

What are the characteristics of low nerve agent exposure?

Answer 6

Miosis, dim vision, eye pain, rhinorrhea, dyspnea, sweating

Question 7

What are the characteristics of high nerve agent exposure?

Answer 7

Immediate loss of consciousness, seizures, apnea, paralysis

Question 8

What are the treatments for nerve agents?

Answer 8

Antidodes: atropine (2mg IV), pralidoxine (1 g IV), benzodiazepines for seizures

Question 9

How much atropine is given?

Answer 9

Starting dose 2 mg, give until secretions are dry, ventilation is easy, if pt is conscious or comfortable

Question 10

What are the characteristics of irritant gasses?

Answer 10

Common industrial chemical, combine with moisture to form acids or bases, high doses can cause chemical burns

Question 11

What are the locations of gas site of injury?

Answer 11

Nose - ammonia
Mouth - chlorine
Lung - phosgene