DRUG OVERDOSE DIAGNOSIS |
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Diagnosis of a drug overdose may be
based on the symptoms that develop, however, the drug may do
extensive damage to the body before significant symptoms develop. If
the patient is conscious, he or she may be able to tell what drugs
were taken and in what amounts. The patient's recent medical and
social history may also help in a diagnosis. For example, a list of
medications that the patient takes, whether or not alcohol was
consumed recently, even if the patient has eaten in the last few
hours before the overdose, can be valuable in determining what was
taken and how fast it will be absorbed into the system.
Different drugs have varying effects on the body's acid/base balance
and on certain elements in the blood like potassium and calcium.
Blood tests can be used to detect changes in body chemistry that may
give clues to what drugs were taken. Blood can also be screened for
various drugs in the system. Once the overdose drug is identified,
blood tests can be used to monitor how fast the drug is being
cleared out of the body. Urine tests can also be used to screen for
some drugs and to detect changes in the body's chemistry. Blood and
urine tests may show if there is damage to the liver or kidneys as a
result of the overdose. |
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| DRUG OVERDOSE RELATED ITEMS |
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