eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Toxicology

Toxicity, Terpene: Follow-up

Author: John Said Kashani, DO, Assistant Medical Director of the New Jersey Poison ad Information Education System; Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Coauthor(s): Steven Marcus, MD, Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Executive and Medical Director, New Jersey Poison Information and Education System; Consulting Staff, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University Hospital, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Consulting Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 10, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Long-term follow-up care is necessary if pneumonitis develops.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • All household products, medications, and chemicals should be safely stored away in their original packages.
  • Medications should never be taken or applied to the skin without first reading the label carefully.

Complications

  • Aspiration of hydrocarbons may result in serious complications requiring long-term follow-up.

Prognosis

  • Mortality is rare.
  • Most patients make full recoveries without sequelae.

Patient Education

  • Preventive education is essential.
  • Information regarding proper storage of chemicals is important.
  • All families of victims should be given the telephone number of the local or regional poison control center.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Missed pulmonary impairment may not be defendable. On the other hand, use of gastric emptying procedures that may result in aspiration pneumonitis also can be a liability problem. Withholding antibiotic or steroid treatment is difficult if an elevated white blood count is found, but it could result in selection of highly resistant microorganisms.
 


More on Toxicity, Terpene

Overview: Toxicity, Terpene
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Toxicity, Terpene
Treatment & Medication: Toxicity, Terpene
Follow-up: Toxicity, Terpene
References
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References

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  2. Bucheler R, Gleiter CH, Schwoerer P, Gaertner I. Use of nonprohibited hallucinogenic plants: increasing relevance for public health? A case report and literature review on the consumption of Salvia divinorum (Diviner's Sage). Pharmacopsychiatry. Jan 2005;38(1):1-5. [Medline].

  3. Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena LR Jr, Green JL, Rumack BH, Heard SE. 2007 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 25th Annual Report. Clin Toxicol (Phila). Dec 2008;46(10):927-1057. [Medline].

  4. Soo Hoo GW, Hinds RL, Dinovo E, Renner SW. Fatal large-volume mouthwash ingestion in an adult: a review and the possible role of phenolic compound toxicity. J Intensive Care Med. May-Jun 2003;18(3):150-5. [Medline].

  5. Myhre AM, Carlsen MH, Bøhn SK, Wold HL, Laake P, Blomhoff R. Water-miscible, emulsified, and solid forms of retinol supplements are more toxic than oil-based preparations. Am J Clin Nutr. Dec 2003;78(6):1152-9. [Medline].

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  19. Rodricks A, Satyanarayana M, D'Souza GA, Ramachandran P. Turpentine-induced chemical pneumonitis with broncho-pleural fistula. J Assoc Physicians India. Jul 2003;51:729-30. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

terpene toxicity, terpenes, terpenoids, monoterpenes, isoprene unit, diterpenes, terpene exposure, terpene poisoning, cantharidin, menthol, pinene, camphor, phytol, vitamin A1, paclitaxel, Taxol

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

John Said Kashani, DO, Assistant Medical Director of the New Jersey Poison ad Information Education System; Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
John Said Kashani, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and American College of Medical Toxicology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Steven Marcus, MD, Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Executive and Medical Director, New Jersey Poison Information and Education System; Consulting Staff, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University Hospital, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Consulting Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Steven Marcus, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, American Medical Association, and Medical Society of New Jersey
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Lance W Kreplick, MD, MMM, FAAEM, FACEP, Medical Director of Hyperbaric Medicine, Fawcett Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine; Consulting Staff in Occupational Health and Rehabilitation, Company Care Occupational Health Services; President and Chief Executive Officer, QED Medical Solutions, LLC
Lance W Kreplick, MD, MMM, FAAEM, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and American College of Physician Executives
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD, Regional Director of Pharmacy, Sacred Heart & St. Joseph's Hospitals
John T VanDeVoort, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Michael J Burns, MD, Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard University Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Michael J Burns, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Asim Tarabar, MD, Assistant Professor, Director, Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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