Nerve agents ventilatory support

Nerve agent intoxication requires rapid decontamination to prevent further absorption by the patient and to prevent exposure to others, ventilation when necessary, administration of antidotes, as well as supportive therapy. Skin decontamination is not necessary with exposure to vapor alone, but clothing should be removed to get rid of any trapped vapor. With nerve agents, there can be high airway resistance due to bronchoconstric-tion and secretions, and initial ventilation is often difficult. The restriction will decrease with atropine administration. Copious secretions which maybe thickened by atropine also impede ventilatory actions and will require frequent suctioning. For inhalation exposure to nerve agents, ventilation support is essential. 

The overall treatment approach to nerve agent exposure focuses on airway and ventilatory support, aggressive use of antidotes (atropine and pralidoxime), prompt control of... 

Convulsions occur after severe nerve agent exposure. In reports18,63,81 of severe cases, convulsions (or what were described as convulsive jerks or spasms ) started within seconds after the casualty collapsed and lost consciousness, and persisted for several minutes until the individual became apneic and flaccid. The convulsions did not recur after atropine and oxime therapy and ventilatory support were administered. In these instances, no specific anticonvulsive therapy was needed nor was it given. 

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