European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PARAQUAT POISONING: CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND BASIS FOR ITS DIAGNOSIS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Angie Berena Carreño Anaya*, Sebastián David Pérez Paternina, Julio César Iglesias Monsalve, José Carlos Ordosgoitia Mora, Sharyne Ayús Hernández, Armando Hongming Yee Acendra, Cristina Isabel Balmaceda Herrera, Denis Cecilia Pineda Beltrán

ABSTRACT

Paraquat is a chemical used in several countries for the development of agricultural activities by peasants and farmers. Currently, PQ poisonings continue to be presented either by being accidentally ingested or for suicidal purposes. At the same time, most of the time it is a diagnosis that goes unnoticed by the emergency services because its initial picture is not so marked at the beginning. However, if it is not treated in time, it can lead to the death of the patient due to its high affinity with target organs such as the lung, heart and kidney. Thus causing a multiple organ failure, for this reason it is pertinent to know what in-hospital markers can help define the severity and prognosis of the patient with PQ poisoning.

Keywords: Paraquat poisoning, APACHE II, QT prolongation, arterial lactate, CRP.