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Anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning

Rat killer poisoning; Rodenticide poisoning

 

Anticoagulant rodenticides are poisons used to kill rats. Rodenticide means rodent killer. An anticoagulant is a blood thinner.

Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning occurs when someone swallows a product containing these chemicals.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

 

Poisonous ingredients include:

  • 2-isovaleryl-1,3-indandione
  • 2-pivaloyl-1,3-indandione
  • Brodifacoum
  • Chlorophacinone
  • Coumachlor
  • Difenacoum
  • Diphacinone
  • Warfarin

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

 

Where Found

 

These ingredients may be found in:

  • D-Con Mouse Prufe II, Talon (brodifacoum)
  • Ramik, Diphacin (diphacinone)

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

 

Symptoms

 

Symptoms include:

  • Blood in the urine
  • Bloody stools
  • Bruising and bleeding under the skin
  • Confusion, lethargy, or altered mental status from bleeding in the brain
  • Low blood pressure
  • Nosebleed
  • Pale skin
  • Shock
  • Vomiting blood

 

Home Care

 

DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional.

 

Before Calling Emergency

 

Determine the following information:

  • Person's age, weight, and condition
  • The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
  • Time it was swallowed
  • How much was swallowed

 

Poison Control

 

Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

 

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

 

The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood and urine tests will be done. The person may receive:

  • Airway and breathing support, including oxygen. In extreme cases, a tube may be passed through the mouth into the lungs to prevent the person from breathing in blood. A breathing machine (ventilator) would then be needed.
  • Blood transfusion, including clotting factors (which help your blood clot), and red blood cells.
  • Chest x-ray.
  • EKG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing).
  • Endoscopy -- a camera down the throat to see the esophagus and stomach.
  • Fluids through a vein (IV).
  • Medicines to treat symptoms.
  • Medicine (activated charcoal) to absorb any remaining poison and laxatives to move it quickly through the body.
  • Medicine (antidote) such as vitamin K to reverse the effect of the poison.

 

Outlook (Prognosis)

 

Death may occur as late as 2 weeks after the poisoning as a result of bleeding. However, getting the right treatment most often prevents serious complications. If blood loss has damaged the heart or other vital organs, recovery may take longer. The person may not fully recover in these cases.

 

 

References

Cannon RD, Ruha A-M. Insecticides, herbicides, and rodenticides. In: Adams JG, ed. Emergency Medicine . 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 146.

Janz TG, Hamilton GC, Eckstein M. Disorders of hemostasis. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 122.

 

        Self Care

         

          Tests for Anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning

           

             

            Review Date: 10/2/2016

            Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

            The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

             
             
             

             

             

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