Simplified rapid test for poisons in emergency and critical care medicine

Abstract

In emergency and critical care medicine, it is important to guess which poisons that patients have taken or been exposedto. The assumption and identification of save lives. Therefore an accurate screening system is required to treat acute poisoning patients in clinical toxicology. However, the ability of a medical center is not sufficient to analyze poisonous substances using analytical equipment. Moreover, the handling and maintenance of the equipment are tedious and costly. To improve these problems, a simple detection method should be established to identify poisons and to treat acute patients in emergency and critical care medicine. In our laboratory, various supports have been attempted for the training of analysts who cope with poisoning incidents and accidents due to toxic substances. Moreover, a simple detection method for toxic substances utilized in the medical center was developed without using expensive analysis apparatus. However, it is impossible to detect and identify chemical warfare agents in a clinical laboratory, because of possible secondary exposure to such dangerous substances in insufficient analytical laboratory equipment. Therefore it is necessary to contact related organizations possessing the proper facilities. © 2006 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.