RESPIRATORY FAILURE IN ACUTE ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING: MECHANISMS, RECOGNITION, AND MANAGEMENT

2026-05-06T18:03:53+0530

Organophosphate (OP) poisoning is one of the serious health problems globally, especially in the agricultural regions of low, and middle, income countries, and respiratory failure has been identified as the principal cause of death. This review intends to summarize the main features of patophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory failure caused by OP poisoning. Respiratory failure is the result of the conjunction of multiple mechanisms, such as muscarinic, neuromuscular junction, and central depression. The clinical manifestations can be very different, from acute cholinergic crisis to intermediate syndrome so that the patient has to be carefully monitored and treated as soon as possible. The therapeutic approach involves immediate airway control, use of mechanical ventilation, and administration of atropine and oximes, which are antidotes. Although the pathophysiology of the disease has been well elucidated, the death rate is still high, so it is critical to make an early diagnosis and to administer intensive treatment without delay. This article presents a management protocol for this life, threatening condition currently supported by the existing scientific literature.

DRUG CASCADES IN ELDERLY CARE, CLINICAL RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT

2026-05-06T18:03:47+0530

Prescribing cascades happen when side effects from one medication in older adults get mistaken for a new health problem, leading to more prescriptions that pile on complications and make polypharmacy worse. This narrative review covers the background, underlying mechanisms, risk factors, and ways to spot them clinically, their impacts, management approaches, prevention steps, and the roles of healthcare teams, based on real-world hospital studies of multimorbid elderly patients taking several medications. Everyday examples include swelling from calcium channel blockers treated with water pills, or raised blood pressure from NSAIDs managed with blood pressure drugs-issues made worse by aging bodies that process medicines differently and multiple health conditions. These cascades often lead to more hospital stays, loss of daily function, and higher death risks tied to too many drugs. Effective management relies on pharmacists guiding medication reviews and safely stopping unneeded drugs to break the cycle, while prevention draws on tools like Beers Criteria, STOP/START guidelines, and educating patients. Teams of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses working together cut down adverse reactions. In busy hospital settings with limited resources, these practical steps can make medications safer and help older adults live better.

Journal of Case Studies and Case Reports

RESPIRATORY FAILURE IN ACUTE ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING: MECHANISMS, RECOGNITION, AND MANAGEMENT

DRUG CASCADES IN ELDERLY CARE, CLINICAL RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT