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Toxicologist

The toxicologist – the doctor who is engaged in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of poisonings. Poisoning – defeat of an organism the poisoning and harmful substances. As the independent profession, toxicology was allocated in the 19th century, and the term "toxicology" comes from two Greek words: "toxicos" (poison) and "logos" (science). Thus, the toxicologist is engaged in a research and treatment of the diseases resulting from toxic impact on an organism of chemicals. Respectively, its main objectives is finding of methods of improvement and treatment of poisonings.

Токсиколог – врач, занимающийся диагностикой, профилактикой и лечением отравлений

In addition to search of means for treatment and the prevention of poisonings, the toxicologist has knowledge of a possibility of useful use of poisons as for anybody not a secret that some poisons in small doses make on an organism medical impact whereas the overdose, apparently, absolutely safe medicines quite often leads to poisoning.

What diseases and bodies enter competence of the toxicologist?

First of all at organism poisoning with poisons the liver, heart, kidneys and blood is surprised. Therefore in practice of the toxicologist it is most often possible to meet the following diseases:

liver failure;
poisoning;
renal failure;
organism intoxication.

When it is necessary to address the toxicologist?

It is necessary to address the toxicologist at any symptoms of poisoning of an organism: alcoholic, narcotic, food, industrial and household, and also at stings of insects and snakes, not medical use of medicines. Competence of the toxicologist includes observation of patients with chronic intoxication of an organism, and also a renal or liver failure.

Intoxication of an organism happens acute and chronic. Acute intoxication means that poisoning resulted once from use of a large amount of toxic agent. Acute intoxication violently proceeds, and its symptoms are strongly expressed.

Chronic intoxication of an organism results from accumulation in an organism of small doses of toxic agent throughout the long period. The most typical symptoms of chronic intoxication are: sleep disorders, emotional instability, nausea, disturbance of memory and attention, headaches, bystry fatigue, deterioration in outward (pallor of integuments, change of a condition of hair and skin).

What should be expected on reception at the toxicologist?

On the first reception the toxicologist will try to define classification and degree of poisoning of the patient. The main task of the toxicologist at first-aid treatment to the patient is statement of the correct diagnosis. It is very important to define correctly classification of toxic substance that it was possible to bring it out of an organism or to neutralize in an organism. After that the toxicologist starts elimination of the effects caused by poisoning with poison.

The toxicologist adheres to approximately following sequence when holding medical actions as a result of poisoning of the patient with chemicals:

Adsorption reduction, that is probe gastric lavage, stimulation of an emetic reflex, acceptance by the patient of absorbent carbon, etc.
Antidotal therapy, that is use by the patient of biochemical, chemical and symptomatic antagonists, drugs of anti-toxic action.
Elimination strengthening, that is stimulation of secretory functions and diuresis, administration of liquid, repeated acceptance by the patient of absorbent carbon.

At a serious poisoning when the patient fells into a coma, the toxicologist intravenously administers the drug flumazenit (анексат).

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