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- $Unique_ID{BRK00265}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Is Charcoal Better Than Ipecac?}
- $Subject{overdose treatment charcoal ipecac Accidents accident Poisoning
- poisonings activated overdoses induced vomiting binding chemical inactive home
- poison treatment kits medication medications swallow swallowing stomach}
- $Volume{O-10,R-10}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- Is Charcoal Better Than Ipecac?
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- QUESTION: A recent crisis, when my child swallowed a whole slew of pills,
- brought me to our local hospital's emergency room. They quickly administered
- charcoal to my daughter, and when I asked why they didn't use ipecac, as you
- once advised, answered by telling me it was "out of fashion". Well, what have
- you to say about that?
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-
- ANSWER: Fashions come and fashions go, and my old wide ties may once again be
- worn without shame. In medicine we always move forward, and as new techniques
- which are more effective are discovered, older but sometimes still useful
- methods pass out of fashion. It is true that activated charcoal is becoming
- more widely used in the treatment of poisoning and overdose of children, but
- only in supervised clinics and emergency rooms. The advantage of ipecac is
- that it can be kept at home, in a safe place in the medicine cabinet, as it
- retains its potency for long periods of time. It is handy, and can be given
- immediately after the accident, and it is effective even if the process of
- induced vomiting is not the most pleasant of experiences. It also has the
- disadvantage of causing problems if the vomitus is breathed into the lungs
- during the process. Activated charcoal has many advantages too, as it is very
- effective in binding to the chemical that has been swallowed and rendering it
- inactive. And it is effective after the time when administering ipecac or
- washing out the stomach becomes too late and useless. The activated charcoal
- must be fresh to be effective, and so can't be kept at home for long periods.
- And it's terrible stuff to try to give children, as it looks horrible, tastes
- worse, and feels like sand going down. It is administered through a large
- tube passed through the mouth into the stomach. New home poison treatment
- kits may soon be on the market and will contain both materials, for both have
- a place in the treatment of overdose and chemical poisoning. Much depends
- upon what has been swallowed, and how long a period has occurred before
- treatment can be started. Whatever the circumstances, even when immediate
- home treatment seems effective, all such cases should be seen as soon as
- possible by physicians, who can continue the necessary procedures.
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-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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