Food intoxication occurs due to the penetration of a toxic substance into the stomach. Usually such conditions arise due to eating poor-quality dishes or expired foods, poisonous berries or mushrooms, chemicals, etc.
The first manifestations of poisoning depend on its etiological factors and the amount of toxic substance that has got into the body of the victim. Sometimes the symptoms appear after a few minutes, and sometimes - after two hours.
Intoxication with mushrooms
The rate of onset of symptoms in into into into edible fungi is caused by the amount of toxin and its typical characteristics.
- The most toxic substance is α-amanitine, which is present in fly agarics, pallid grebe, etc.
- When this toxin is completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal structures into the bloodstream system, from four hours to 24 hours diarrhea begins - the first sign of intoxication.
- Then the patient's condition stabilizes, but after 2-3 days a sudden drop in the glucose level occurs, the skin and mucous membranes turn yellow, and tremor disturbs.
- Symptomatic rapidly growing, can develop a coma with progressive liver failure due to toxic effects.
by medicines
If the poisoning is due to overdose with drugs, the rate of toxic reactions depends on the type of drug.
For example, an overdose with such a drug as clonidine, provokes a sharp drop in blood pressure to critical levels.
Approximately in an hour( with oral administration) there are common symptoms like visual disturbances, drowsiness and weakness.
After about a couple of hours, the respiratory activity and the heart work slow down, the patient loses consciousness. Approximately 6-12 hours, depending on the specific dosage, a complete stop of the heart and respiratory system can occur, which leads to the death of the victim.
- If the poisoning was caused by an overdose of medicinal drugs, then after half an hour-hour( sometimes 2 hours) the patient has symptoms like confusion, and sometimes coma. If the overdose was significant, the cardiovascular and respiratory activities are depressed. At the same time, the lethal outcome occurs within 3-6 hours.
- If intoxication occurred with the abuse of paracetamol preparations, especially with alcohol, then an acute form of hepatitis develops. The time of the onset of the first symptomatology is determined by the dosage of the drugs, usually it is about 2-4 hours. Then there is a nausea-vomiting reaction, the appetite disappears. At the same time in the liver area there is pronounced soreness for 1-2 days. With severe intoxication within a day or two, the liver and kidney deficiency, pancreatitis and gastroenteritis begin to progress. After a week of this condition, the patient dies from kidney failure.
- When the hormone preparation of insulin is poisoned, after an hour or two, a critical lowering of the glucose level occurs, the general malaise and dilatation of the pupils are disturbed, the consciousness is dissipated, tachycardic and convulsive attacks are present, the vision becomes turbid, a tremor of the body is observed, and then a hypoglycemic coma occurs.
Therefore, when taking medications, you must strictly follow the dosage, and keep the first-aid kit as far from children as possible.
Alcohol by
Drinking alcohol intoxications are quite common.
The negative effect of alcohol increases in accordance with its increase in blood composition.
- First comes the euphoric state;
- Then the patient grows numb and there are coordination disorders;
- There is an aggressive attitude towards others, the mood changes completely;
- There is a vomitive reflex;
- After 2 hours, coma develops with respiratory or heart failure;
- If the blood content of ethanol reaches 4%, then the patient is expected to die in the next 10-20 hours.
Chlorinated
If the victim is poisoned with chlorine, the upper structures of the respiratory system are already affected within a few minutes, resulting in a lack of breathing, which can periodically stop.
After about 2-4 hours, pulmonary edema is formed. The patient falls into agony, at which he is disturbed by acute pains in the chest, cough and mucous irritations.
When poisoning prohibitively high doses of chlorine, the patient begins convulsions, he begins to urinate involuntarily or perform defecation processes. Then he loses consciousness and in a few minutes dies due to a puffy attack in the larynx due to the action of toxic chlorine, which leads to suffocation.
How long does food poisoning occur?
If intoxication has occurred due to the use of poor-quality food, then after about 0.5-6 hours, the patient notes the occurrence of vomiting and diarrhea.
Over the course of a day, the clinical picture is supplemented by dizziness and tachycardia, headaches and an increase in temperature indicators, acute painful spasms are observed in the abdomen of the affected person.
This symptomatology can last for several days. At serious food intoxication the patient can wait for a lethal outcome.
In such situations it is necessary to alleviate the symptoms with the necessary medications, drink more liquid, better dilute the solution of sugar, salt and soda with water. This remedy will help to avoid dehydration.
If this still happens, do not pull, call an ambulance. Only the speed and coherence of actions will help to avoid the deplorable consequences.
Video about food poisoning and acute intestinal infections: