Toxidromes, chemical agent

Long latency of clinical expression of signs and symptoms (the equivalent of a natural incubation period) is characteristic of BW compared with CW agents. It is very important for emergency responders to be aware of this when considering the evolution of a syndrome characteristic of a disease compared with chemically induced toxidromes. 

Chemicol ogent toxidromes 236 Potential chemical agents. .. 254... 

The primary emergency responders to chemical incidents carry out a primary reconnaissance using equipment mentioned above. This may produce an immediate identification of the agent concerned. Eye witness accounts are also important and a possible pattern (toxidrome) of signs and symptoms in victims (see Chap. 6). 

A basic understanding of the differences between the classes of agents with high toxicity and short transmissibUity (notably classical chemical warfare agents) and recognition of the corresponding toxidromes... 

A toxidrome is a grouping of signs and symptoms which are important in establishing the cause of toxic trauma both individual and collective. A toxidrome can be established only after careful examination of the presenting signs and symptoms as detailed above. Toxidromes can indicate whether the patient has been affected by the deliberate release of any of the six main classes of chemical warfare agents or by one of the five main classes of toxic industrial chemicals. 

For many years, the identification of specific collections of signs and symptoms following exposure to toxic agents has formed the basis of early medical responses in diagnosis and treatment. This has particularly been the case in the military world for the management of chemical warfare agent exposure. In the civil setting where identification of the released substance may not be immediate, toxidromes have assumed an equal importance and are part of established paramedical pre-hospital response to HAZMAT incidents. 

Examples of toxidromes produced by specific chemical warfare agents are presented in Table 7.1. 

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