Health Encyclopedia

Diazinon poisoning

Definition

Diazinon is an insecticide, a product used to kill or control bugs. Poisoning can occur if you swallow this product.

For information on other insecticide poisonings, see Insecticides.

Alternative Names

Bazinon poisoning; Diazol poisoning; Gardentox poisoning; Knox-Out poisoning; Spectracide poisoning

Poisonous Ingredient

Diazinon

Where Found

Diazinon is a specific ingredient found in some insecticides. In 2004, the FDA banned the sale of household products containing diazinon.

Symptoms

Heart and blood
- Low or high blood pressure
- Slow or rapid heart rate
- Convulsions
Lungs
- Breathing difficulty
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Small pupils (unreactive to light)
- Tearing, increased
Skin
- Redness
- Irritation
- Sweating
Gastrointestinal
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Nervous system
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Coma
- Weakness
- Tremor

Home Treatment

Call the Poison Control Center for appropriate treatment instructions. If the insecticide is on the skin, wash the area thoroughly for at least 15 minutes.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: National Poison Control Center.

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The patient may receive:

Breathing help
Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effects of the poison
Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)

Expectations (prognosis)

Patients that continue to improve over the first 4 to 6 hours (after medical treatment) usually recover.

Review Date:10/24/2007
Reviewed By:Stephen C. Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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