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Poisoning

Published by Bupa's health information team, February 2009.

This factsheet is for people who are concerned about poisoning, or who would like information about it.

Poisons are substances that cause injury when they come into contact with the cells of the body. Poisons can be swallowed, inhaled, absorbed or injected. Most accidental cases of poisoning involve children or the elderly.

About poisons

A lot of common household substances can be poisonous.

  • Medicines - these may be safe at the recommended dose, but can be poisonous if an overdose is taken.
  • Cleaning and washing products such as bleach and dishwasher tablets/powder. If they aren't used correctly they can be harmful even in small amounts.
  • Other household chemicals such as plant food, paints, solvents, firelighters, weedkiller or slug pellets.
  • Some toiletries such as hair dyes, chemical treatments and nail varnish remover.
  • Gases, such as carbon monoxide.

Some household products have an orange panel on the back to warn you that they can be harmful if they aren't used correctly. Other products may just have a risk phrase, such as 'harmful if swallowed' or 'irritating to eyes'. You should always follow the instructions given on the product label when using any chemicals or household products.

You can also be poisoned by:

  • bites from animals, including snakes
  • insect bites or stings
  • fish or jellyfish stings
  • germs in your food, such as bacteria and mould that produce toxins - a toxin is a poison produced by a living organism
  • wild plants, berries, or mushrooms can be irritating to your skin or harmful if swallowed

Children are most at risk from accidental poisoning at home, seven out of 10 cases of accidental poisoning occur in children under five.

Symptoms of poisoning

Different poisons affect the body in different ways and can take effect quickly or over time. The risk depends on a variety of factors including:

  • the amount swallowed or injected
  • the length of exposure (through ingestion, inhalation or skin contact)
  • the time since exposure to the poison
  • the age and weight of the person affected

As such, the range of symptoms can be broad and varied. Poisoning should be considered a possibility if someone suddenly becomes ill for no apparent reason, or acts strangely, particularly if they are found near a potentially poisonous substance.

Symptoms of poisoning can include:

  • feeling sick or vomiting, abdominal (tummy) pain, diarrhoea
  • dizziness, weakness or drowsiness
  • fever or chills (shivering)
  • fast or irregular pulse
  • headache, confusion or irritability
  • pain on swallowing or production of more saliva than usual
  • skin rash
  • burns around the nose or mouth
  • double or blurred vision
  • seizures (fits)
  • stupor (being sleepy or unresponsive) or unconsciousness

What to do if someone is poisoned

Being poisoned can be life-threatening. Appropriate first aid can help minimise the harm to the person who is poisoned.

If you think someone has swallowed, injected or inhaled a poison or has taken an overdose of drugs and appears to be unconscious, try to rouse him/her. If the person responds, you shouldn't move him/her; instead try to find out what is wrong and get help if you need it. If he/she is unresponsive, you should first shout for help and then open his/her airway by:

  • turning the person on to his/her back
  • tilting his/her head back
  • lifting his/her chin

Ask someone to phone for an ambulance. If you're on your own, you should do this yourself. Be ready to give the following information to the paramedics and to the doctor or nurse in the Accident and Emergency department.

  • The name of what was swallowed, injected or inhaled if you know it. If possible, keep the container and make a note of how much has been taken.
  • The estimated time that the poison was taken or used.
  • Whether or not the person has vomited.
  • Whether you think it was accidental or deliberate.
  • Whether the person suffers from any chronic illness (eg heart disease) or takes any medication (if you know).

If the person is unconscious and breathing normally you should turn him or her into the recovery position.

If the person is unconscious and isn't breathing normally you should perform emergency resuscitation (cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR), but only if you know how. If you think the poison was swallowed, use the mouth-to-nose method. This way you avoid any contact with traces of poison or vomit that might remain around the person's mouth. Don't stop unless the person begins breathing normally or qualified help arrives to take over.

If the person has pills in his/her mouth, try to get him/her to spit them out. You can give them to the hospital staff to help identify the cause of poisoning.

Don't try to make the person sick as vomiting can cause even more damage. If the person has been sick, collect a sample of the vomit to take to hospital. This may help staff identify the poison.

Inhalation of poisonous fumes

If you suspect that someone has inhaled poisonous fumes, first assess the situation and what risk you're in - don't put yourself in danger. Call for help. If necessary call the fire brigade.

Once away from the affected area, check the person's airway and breathing. If he/she isn't breathing normally, call for emergency help or preferably get someone to call for you. If you know how to, begin CPR, but use chest compressions only. Don't expose yourself to the person's breath.

If the person is breathing and conscious, put him or her into the recovery position and call for emergency help. Check their breathing regularly until help arrives.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas. It's produced by incomplete burning of fuels including gas, wood or petrol (for example on indoor heating systems, car engines, fires and cooking appliances).

Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can develop if equipment (eg a boiler) is faulty or poorly maintained, or by burning fuels in an enclosed space.

Carbon monoxide is absorbed through your lungs into your blood. It reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen around your body. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include feeling sick, dizziness, diarrhoea, headache, drowsiness and confusion. It can result in chest pain, changes to your breathing and heart rate, loss of consciousness and eventually death.

If you suspect that you or someone else is affected by carbon monoxide poisoning, leave the area and seek urgent medical attention.

The treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning involves breathing pure oxygen (oxygen therapy) to help replace the carbon monoxide in the blood.

Contamination of the skin or eyes

Chemicals can burn or irritate your skin or eyes. If you spill a harmful chemical on yourself you should:

  • hold the eye open
  • brush off the chemical if it's a powder
  • run the affected area under cold water for at least 10 minutes
  • don't try to neutralise the chemical if it's an acid (eg toilet/drain cleaner) or an alkali (eg bleach)
  • seek urgent medical attention

Always read the label and follow the manufacturer's instructions when using chemicals or household products.

Prevention of poisoning

You can reduce the likelihood of accidental poisoning in your home.

  • Store all medicines, vitamins and potentially poisonous substances in their original containers with a clear label. Keep them in an area that is out of sight and reach of children.
  • Check your garden for poisonous plants and remove them. Children should be taught not to eat any part of a growing plant.
  • Have your boiler and gas appliances serviced regularly to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, and make sure that bedrooms in particular have adequate ventilation. Consider installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home.
  • Don't block air vents, flues or chimneys and don't have indoor fires or stoves without proper ventilation to the outdoors.

What else can I do?

Appropriate first aid can significantly improve a person's chances of a full recovery. You can learn about providing first aid in a wide range of accidents and emergencies by taking a course. Several organisations offer first aid courses, including vital instructions on CPR - see Further information.

Further information

Related topics

Sources

  • Prockop LD, Chichkova RI. Carbon monoxide intoxication: an update review. J Neurol Sci 2007; 262:122-130. www.elsevier.com/locate/jns
  • List of symbols, abbreviations, risk and safety phrases. Health and Safety Executive. www.hse.gov.uk, accessed 16 July 2008
  • Longmore M, Wilkinson IB, Rajagopalan S. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004:826-833
  • Adult basic life support, resuscitation guidelines. Resuscitation Council (UK), 2005. www.resus.org.uk
  • Simon C, Everitt H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007:941; 1078-1079
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning (acute). BMJ Clinical Evidence. www.clinicalevidence.com, accessed 9 July 2008
  • Burns and scalds. St John Ambulance. www.sja.org.uk, accessed 4 August 2008
  • Preventing accidents in the home - advice tips. Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). www.rospa.com, accessed 16 July 2008
  • Personal communication. Mr Brodie Paterson, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, 20 September
  • Home and leisure accident statistics. Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). www.hassandlass.org.uk, accessed 26 September 2008

This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: February 2009

 

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