La Revue du praticien
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Acute ingestion of acetaminophen can induce a dose-dependent hepatotoxicity and lead to death. The management of acute acetaminophen poisoning at the early stage is well codified. A reported amount of ingestion > 200 mg/kg in a child, > 150 mg/kg in an adult (125 mg/kg if risk factors are present) require hospitalisation. ⋯ NAC is indicated if the serum acetaminophen level drawn 4 hours after ingestion and plotted on the nomograme falls above the "200 mg/L-4 hours" line. Nomograme is not usable with repeated acute ingestion or repeated supratherapeutic doses; presence of risk factors (enzymatic induction, malnutrition, chronic alcoholism) must be taken into account ("100 mg/L - 4 hours" line). Outcome is favorable with respect to these conditions.
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Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is still complicated by a high mortality and morbidity rate. Diagnosis can be obvious but is most of time difficult and sometimes remained unknown. It is usually based on clinical signs and must be confirmed by assessment of CO level in room air or in patient's expired breathing or blood and detection of a source. ⋯ All CO poisoning has to be declared to sanitary authority, which will in turn conduct a technical inspection to remove the source. The patient must be informed that he is at risk of new poisoning and of neurological complications. Progress in prevention and research in therapeutics are needed in order to reduce CO related morbidity.