Nerve agents pulmonary toxicity

Pediatric exposures to vesicants can be quite toxic however, in contrast to nerve agent exposures, HD causes significantly greater morbidity than mortality. While mustard did not cause many deaths in WWI, death from HD exposure is usually due to massive pulmonary damage complicated by infection (bronchopneumonia) and sepsis. Children often show a quicker onset and greater severity of toxicity. Skin and eye toxicity occurs in the form of blisters or irritation that can result in blindness for the most severe cases. Except for lewisite, vesicant exposures must be managed with supportive care and rapid decontamination. 

Toxic chemicals that have been developed, produced and used as CW agents are usually subdivided into four categories pulmonary toxicants, blood agents, vesicants or blister agents, and nerve agents. 

The most common agents in modern arsenals are vesicants and nerve agents. Cyanides and pulmonary toxicants are thought to be represented in some stockpiles, but are typically less toxic and more difficult to employ because of their physical characteristics. Some cyanides and pulmonary toxicants have specific characteristics that make them appropriate for military use, such as rapid rate of action, very low persistency, and the ability to penetrate or damage protective equipment. 

We will not try to cover toxic industrial chemicals, because there are fer too many of them to cover in a basic course. Chemical warfare agents are generally divided into these categories nerve agents, cyanide, vesicants, pulmonary agents, and riot control agents. 

Magnesium sulfate may be used in an intravenous infusion as a tocolytic agent. Its mechanism of action is to suppress nerve impulses to the uterine smooth muscles by antagonizing intracellular calcium. Maternal side effects are rare but can include pulmonary edema. At toxic levels, hypotension, muscle paralysis, tetany, cardiac arrest, and respiratory depression may occur. ... 

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