Thallium Toxicity Medication

  • Author: G Patrick Daubert, MD; Chief Editor: Asim Tarabar, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 11, 2011
 

Medication Summary

Institute treatment of thallium intoxication as soon as the diagnosis is suspected because tissue-bound thallium may cause prolonged neurologic damage if detoxification therapy is not commenced within 72 h of onset of acute poisoning.

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GI decontaminants

Class Summary

These agents bind thallium in the GI tract and prevent enterohepatic recirculation.

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Prussian blue (Antidotum Thallii-Heyl, Radiogardase-Cs)

 

Mixture of several ferrocyanic complexes, mainly KFe(III)Fe(II)(CN)6 (Turnbull Blue) and the reverse complex (hexacyanoferrate). Used as a pigment in paint and ink manufacturing. DOC for thallium poisoning.

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Activated charcoal (Liqui-Char)

 

Emergency treatment in poisoning caused by drugs and chemicals; network of pores present in activated charcoal adsorbs 100-1000 mg of drug per gram of charcoal; does not dissolve in water; for maximum effect, administer within 30 min of poison ingestion.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

G Patrick Daubert, MD  Assistant Professor, Assistant Medical Director, Sacramento Division, California Poison Control System; Director of Clinical and Medical Toxicology Education, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Davis Medical Center

G Patrick Daubert, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, American Medical Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

William K Chiang, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine; Chief of Service, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center

William K Chiang, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

John G Benitez, MD, MPH, FACMT, FAACT, FACPM, FAAEM,  Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Medical Toxicology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Managing Director, Tennessee Poison Center

John G Benitez, MD, MPH, FACMT, FAACT, FACPM, FAAEM, is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Medical Toxicology, American College of Preventive Medicine, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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.

References

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  17. Shamshinova AM, Ivanina TA, Yakovlev AA, et al. Electroretinography in the diagnosis of thallium intoxication. J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol. 1990;34(2):113-21. [Medline].

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  19. Yang Y, Brownell C, Sadrieh N, et al. Quantitative measurement of cyanide released from Prussian Blue. Clin Toxicol (Phila). Oct-Nov 2007;45(7):776-81. [Medline].

  20. Miller MA, Patel MM, Coon T. Prussian blue for treatment of thallium overdose in the US. Hosp Pharm. 2005;40:796-7.

  21. Misra UK, Kalita J, Yadav RK, et al. Thallium poisoning: emphasis on early diagnosis and response to haemodialysis. Postgrad Med J. Feb 2003;79(928):103-5. [Medline].

  22. Ammendola A, Ammendola E, Argenzio F, et al. Clinical and electrodiagnostic follow-up of an adolescent poisoned with thallium. Neurol Sci. Aug 2007;28(4):205-8. [Medline].

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