injuries and poisoning
Pulmonary Chemical Warfare Agents
Treatment of Pulmonary Chemical Warfare Injuries
Treatment of specific symptoms Oxygen (through a face mask or breathing tube) Often, admission to an intensive-care unit For type 1 effects: Bronchodilators, sometimes inhaled corticosteroids For type 2 effects: Oral corticosteroids, treatments to remove fluid from the lungs Because mixed effects are common, doctors base treatment on the person's symptoms rather than on the specific agent. Decontamination is not usually necessary for people exposed to vapor or gas, and there are no specific antidotes for these agents. For people whose symptoms mainly involve the large airways (type 1 effects), doctors give warm, humidified 100% oxygen by face mask. They may need to remove debris from the person's large airways using Bronchoscopy . Doctors may need to place a breathing tube in the person's windpipe, and they may give the person bronchodilators, a type of inhaled drug that widens the airways (similar drugs are used for asthma). Inhaled corticosteroids may be given to help decrease the inflammation that often accompanies lung damage. People exposed to a possible type 2 agent are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and given oxygen. Sometimes oxygen is given under pressure through a special tight face mask or through a breathing tube placed in the windpipe. Doctors give medicine to remove fluid from the lungs and may give oral corticosteroids depending on the type of damage they suspect. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. 