Affiliation:
1. Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacotherapy Consultant/Forensic Pharmacologist, Quincy, MA 02169, USA
Abstract
The potential for chemical weapons to be used in terrorism is a real possibility. Classes of chemical weapons include nerve agents, vesicants (blister agents), choking agents, incapacitating agents, riot control agents, blood agents, and toxic industrial chemicals. The nerve agents work by blocking the actions of acetylcholinesterase leading to a cholinergic syndrome. Nerve agents include sarin, tabun, VX, cyclosarin, and soman. The vesicants include sulfur mustard and lewisite. The vesicants produce blisters and also damage the upper airways. Choking agents include phosgene and chlorine gas. Choking agents cause pulmonary edema. Incapacitating agents include fentanyl and its derivatives and adamsite. Riot control agents include Mace and pepper spray. Blood agents include cyanide. The mechanism of toxicity for cyanide is blocking oxidative phosphorylation. Toxic industrial chemicals include agents such as formaldehyde, hydrofluoric acid, and ammonia.
Reference27 articles.
1. Pharmacy Preparedness for Incidents Involving Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical Weapons
2. Krenzelok EP. History of Biological and Chemical Terrorism. Biological and Chemical Terrorism: A Pharmacy Preparedness Guide. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health System Pharmacists; 2003:3–8.
3. Report on 640 Victims of the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack
4. Unexpected “gas” casualties in Moscow: A medical toxicology perspective
5. US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense. Chemical Agents–General Concepts and Terminology. Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook. 4th ed. MD: U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Chemical Casualty Care Division, Aberdeen Proving Ground; 2007;4–5.
Cited by
34 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献