THE ROLE OF THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST IN THE CLINICAL MANAGEMENT
OF HAZARDS AND THREATS FROM CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS
Extensive reviews[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[12]
[16]
provide
detailed information about the chemistry and toxicology of agents that are considered
CBW hazards. This section concentrates on selected hazards that can be regarded
as potential threats and that are likely to be encountered by the responding anesthesiologist.
Clinical Approaches: What Is Important to the Anesthesiologist?
In the management of CBW agent casualties, the anesthesiologist
acts as part of a clinical team. To provide a safe and effective response, the following
information is required for each toxic hazard:
- Physical, pharmacologic, and immunologic methods of individual protection
- Immediate measures for life support
- Specific antidote therapy
- Measures to limit the effects of toxicity and latency of action
In the following sections, specific agents have been selected that are representative
of classes of hazards and have also in some cases been used as weapons of warfare.
They are hazards that can be synthesized relatively easily or are potentially available
from stockpiles or from reference laboratories.
