Resumen de Assessment and diagnosis of the poisoned patient

Allister Vale, Sally Bradberry

• Assessment of an acutely poisoned patient involves taking an appropriate history, assessing the level of consciousness, ventilation and circulation, undertaking a physical examination, and requesting appropriate toxicological and non-toxicological investigations. Diagnosis is based on the history, circumstantial evidence (if available), a cluster of common features (if present) and, occasionally, the results of biochemical or toxicological analyses.