Exams and Tests

A combination of history, physical examination, and laboratory studies will help reveal the cause of most poisonings. Frequently, treatment must begin before all information is available.

History: As a family member or friend of a poisoned person, you can greatly assist the doctor and provide valuable clues by telling the doctor about these details:

• Everything the person ate or drank recently
  
  
• Names of all prescription and over-the-counter medications the person is taking
  
  
• Exposure to chemicals at home or at work
  
  
• Whether others in the family or at work have been similarly ill or exposed
  
  
• Whether the person has any psychiatric history to suggest an intentional ingestion (suicide attempt)

Testing: Many poisons can be detected in the blood or urine. However, a physician cannot order "every test in the book" when the diagnosis is unclear. The tests ordered will be based on information revealed in the history and physical exam.

• A toxicology screen or "tox" screen looks for common drugs of abuse. Most toxicology screens will detect:
  
  
  • acetaminophen,
    
    
  • aspirin,
    
    
  • marijuana,
    
    
  • opioids (heroin, codeine),
    
    
  • benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium),
    
    
  • amphetamines (uppers),
    
    
  • cocaine, and
    
    
  • alcohol.
    
    
• A specific blood test will give serum levels of some drugs, including phenytoin (Dilantin), theophylline (Theo-Dur, Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theo-24, Theolair, Uniphyl, Slo-Phyllin), digoxin (Lanoxin), lithium (Lithobid), and acetaminophen.
  
  
• Some drugs affect the electrical activity of the heart. An electrocardiogram (ECG) may reveal toxicity.
  
  
• Sometimes a person is unconscious for no obvious reason. A CT scan of the brain will help tell if there has been a structural change in the brain, such as a stroke.