What Are Organophosphates?
Organophosphates are chemicals found in many pesticides and insecticides used in farming and homes. Poisoning can happen if you swallow them, breathe them in, or if they get absorbed through your skin.
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How Can Organophosphate Poisoning Happen?
- By accident, such as eating food contaminated with these chemicals
- Intentionally, as in suicide or harm from others
- While working with pesticides, especially for farmers and agricultural workers
Signs and Symptoms to Watch For
- Smell of chemicals on the person
- Small, tight pupils in the eyes
- Cold sweating, feeling anxious or restless
- Stomach pain, diarrhoea, and vomiting
- Muscle twitching or seizures
- Slow heart rate
- Excess saliva, trouble breathing, and lots of mucus in the airways
- Headaches, low blood pressure, and loss of bladder control
- Loss of consciousness or coma in severe cases
What Should Be Done If Poisoning Is Suspected?
- Remove any clothes that might have the chemical on them, using gloves if possible
- Wash the skin well with plenty of water
- Make sure the person’s airway is clear and open
- Help with breathing by giving oxygen or assisted breathing if needed, especially in the first day
- Give fluids through a drip to treat dehydration or shock
- Control seizures with medicines like diazepam
- Use a nebuliser with salbutamol if there is wheezing or breathing difficulty
Hospital Treatments
- If the poison was swallowed, a procedure to wash out the stomach may be done within 6 hours, but only if safe to do so
- Activated charcoal may be given within 2 to 4 hours to reduce poison absorption
- Patients will be monitored closely for several days because symptoms can worsen after initial treatment
- For moderate to severe cases that don’t improve with standard treatment, an additional medicine called pralidoxime may be given through an IV. This medicine works best if started within 24 hours after poisoning
How to Prevent Organophosphate Poisoning
- Always keep pesticides and insecticides in their original labelled containers
- Store these chemicals out of reach of children
- Wear protective clothing such as gloves and masks when handling pesticides
