Clinical pharmacological principles in emergency geriatric care: Toxidrome approach

Abstract

An increasing body of research implies that emergency department (ED) physicians fail to identify drug-related ED visits due to the department's hectic workflow. In cases of poisoning or drug intoxications, the offending agent(s) may not be identified during the acute and possibly critical period of the exposure. For cases of suicidal incidents, laboratory assistances in identifying the offending chemical are not promptly available. The diagnosis of “toxidromes” is, therefore, an acceptable clinical diagnostic method that has been pioneered by clinical toxicologists. The present case has emphasized the need for applying clinical pharmacology principles in the early detection of drug-induced ED visits.

Keywords

• clinical pharmacology
• drug-induced emergency visits
• emergency geriatric care
• toxidrome