What is covered in these guidelines?

The focus of these guidelines is risk assessment and management of poisonings in adults and children presenting to hospital or primary care. A thorough risk assessment is always required for patients with suspected poisonings. Treatment may include resuscitation, decontamination, supportive care, specific antidotes, and critical care management. Depending on the urgency of management, many of these interventions are undertaken simultaneously. Observation and patient disposition recommendations are included for each poisoning.

These guidelines include monographs on common poisonings (eg paracetamol, illicit drugs, household chemicals), rare but potentially lethal poisonings (eg Amanita phalloides mushrooms, button batteries, paraquat), and bites and other injuries by venomous animals. Some monographs address a group of related drugs or toxins (eg antiepileptic or antipsychotic drugs), but if the management of poisoning for an individual drug or toxin in the group is significantly different, a specific monograph is linked from the group monograph.

The general topics on risk assessment, treatment and observation and patient disposition, along with the topics on toxidromes (toxic syndromes), can be used as a guide when the cause of poisoning is unknown. These general topics are also linked from the individual monographs when assessment or management of a specific poisoning is the same as the general approach. The topic on poisoning in children highlights particular considerations in the general approach to managing poisoning in children and each monograph includes specific advice for that poisoning in children.

These guidelines do not address specific considerations in the assessment or management of poisonings in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Management is unlikely to be different, but seek advice from a clinical toxicologist.

For rare or unfamiliar poisonings, as well as poisonings not covered in these guidelines, always seek advice from a clinical toxicologist or poisons information centre—telephone 13 11 26.