“HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.” High-dose insulin euglycemic therapy (HIET) was first recognized as an apparently miraculous rescue therapy for Calcium Channel Blocker (CCB) overdose about two decades ago. Since then, it has become standard therapy for CCB overdose, but without the necessary regard for differences between the two major…
What’s the tobacco industry to do, since cigarette and smokeless tobacco use are declining? Surge alternative delivery systems for nicotine, that’s what! Appeal to a demographic that is easily manipulated by social media, that’s what! Following the successful footsteps of electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches have emerged as the next significant…
Nail salons are popular destinations for personal grooming. However, many nail enthusiasts are pursuing home application of complex nail treatments that previously were available only to trained, professional nail technicians. This DIY trend translates into increased risk of acute and chronic effects from exposure to the chemicals involved. The most…
INTRODUCTION Let the buyer beware; let the doctor beware. Anything now sold as heroin is almost certainly augmented by fentanyl or replaced by fentanyl. But that’s just the beginning of the story, one that evolves every month. Not only the users of illicit drugs, but also the health care practitioners…
Overview Long relegated to the rear-view mirror of drug trends, psilocybin-containing mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms," have made a strong comeback in the last 5 years. Psilocybin and psilocybin mushrooms were placed on Schedule 1 under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, de facto defining them as having a…
Although carbon monoxide (CO) is universally recognized as a toxic gas, it continues to cause tens of thousands of unintentional, non-fire-related exposures in the US every year. True, it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, so its presence is not easily detected without a special air monitor. However, many people are…
Although the first of many GLP-1 agonists — exenatide, brand Byetta — was approved for type 2 diabetes in 2005, poison centers did not handle many exposure cases until several of these agents were approved for weight loss, and their popularity skyrocketed. In fact, poison centers across the country have…
Systemic Loxoscelism (Brown Recluse Spider Envenomation) The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa), also known as the violin- or fiddleback spider, is capable of envenomating humans and is endemic to the Midwest and Southeast United States. This spider is found throughout Missouri and prefers dark, warm, dry locations. It commonly inhabits…
Another unregulated drug is lurking around the shelves of energy drinks and beef jerky at your local convenience store. It is an antidepressant called tianeptine but has been dubbed "gas station heroin" because of its opioid-like effects at high doses. Calls to poison centers are on the rise and area…
Missouri Poison Center provides a risk management safety net for the patient, the practitioner, and the health care facility. Our team has been managing aspirin overdose for more than 50 years. While we may not see as many aspirin overdoses as we did decades ago, we have helped manage several…