What’s acute poisoning?

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Acute intoxication is a diagnosis used by diagnostic manuals, such as the ICD (International Classification of Diseases), to describe a person who has been impaired in one or more ways by an intoxicant. It is common to think of alcohol, but according to the ICD, any prescribed or illegal drug, which can cause intoxication, can cause this condition. Areas that can be affected by acute intoxication include (cognitive) thinking patterns, perception patterns of things, ways in which a person behaves, body movement, and a person’s judgment. Further problems may arise such as extreme vomiting and there is some risk of conditions such as vomit inhalation or falling into a coma if the intoxication is severe. This condition is usually temporary and resolves itself as the patient’s body processes the substance that created the problem.

From a diagnostic point of view, the diagnosis of acute intoxication is made in the absence of evidence of chronic attacks of intoxication and conditions such as drug or alcohol dependence. The layman’s perspective is a little different. If a person appears to be suffering from acute poisoning, and especially if most of the different functionings of the body are affected, it is usually wise to seek medical help. The dangers of falling into a coma or inhaling vomit are great, especially if a person is unconscious. At the very least, a call to poison control is recommended to get medical advice on how to proceed.

The physical reactions in acute intoxication can be the opposite of what one would normally expect from a drug. Some patients will become very sleepy or cognitively dull from taking stimulants, and others may become hyper or overloaded from the use of depressants. A person’s basic health can also contribute to how quickly intoxication occurs. Drugs that are metabolized through the liver or kidneys may be more active in the body if these organs are damaged, for example.

Also, with drugs such as alcohol, other factors can determine how quickly intoxication occurs, such as drinking habits, body weight, eating or not eating foods while drinking, and medication use concomitants, such as antihistamines. Another influence on how intoxicated people become depends on how they perceive the drug they are going to take and expect it to work. Intoxication may be more serious than expected if a person taking a drug strongly believes it would be.

Acute intoxication, although transient, represents a dangerous scenario from a medical point of view. Any drug with the power to intoxicate, such as sedatives, pain relievers, antihistamines, etc., has the potential to cause this reaction based on a person’s health, state, and ability to metabolize drugs. If acute intoxication symptoms occur with the use of prescribed medications, people should also seek medical help, as this reaction is considered adverse.

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