How dangerous is rat poison to humans? - briefly
Ingesting rodent anticoagulant bait can trigger life‑threatening bleeding, organ damage, and death, requiring immediate medical intervention. Symptoms often emerge within hours and include vomiting, abdominal pain, and visible blood in urine or stool.
How dangerous is rat poison to humans? - in detail
Rodenticide formulations contain anticoagulants, neurotoxins, or metal phosphides that can cause severe toxicity when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Anticoagulant compounds such as warfarin‑derived agents (e.g., bromadiolone, brodifacoum) block vitamin K recycling, leading to uncontrolled bleeding. A single adult dose of 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ of a second‑generation anticoagulant may be lethal; children are vulnerable to much lower amounts because of their smaller body mass and higher relative intake.
Neurotoxic rodenticides, including bromethalin and zinc phosphide, disrupt cellular energy production. Bromethalin interferes with mitochondrial ATP synthesis, producing cerebral edema, seizures, and coma. Zinc phosphide reacts with gastric acid to release phosphine gas, a potent respiratory toxin that damages mitochondria and can cause cardiovascular collapse within hours.
Clinical presentation varies with the agent and exposure level:
- Anticoagulants: bruising, nosebleeds, hematuria, gastrointestinal bleeding, prolonged clotting times (PT/INR elevation). Symptoms may appear 24–72 hours after ingestion.
- Bromethalin: headache, vomiting, ataxia, seizures, loss of consciousness. Neurological signs develop over 12–48 hours.
- Phosphine: metallic taste, abdominal pain, dyspnea, hypotension, metabolic acidosis. Rapid deterioration can occur within 6 hours.
Diagnosis relies on patient history, physical examination, and targeted laboratory tests (coagulation profile, serum phosphine levels, imaging for intracranial edema). Early identification of the specific rodenticide guides therapy.
Treatment protocols include:
- Decontamination: gastric lavage or activated charcoal within one hour of oral exposure; thorough skin washing for dermal contact.
- Anticoagulant reversal: intravenous vitamin K₁ (10 mg kg⁻¹) administered daily until coagulation normalizes; fresh frozen plasma for acute hemorrhage.
- Neurotoxin management: supportive care with seizure control (benzodiazepines), intracranial pressure reduction, and intensive monitoring.
- Phosphine poisoning: high‑flow oxygen, sodium bicarbonate for acidosis, vasopressors for hypotension; no specific antidote exists.
Preventive measures reduce accidental exposure: store products in locked containers, keep them out of reach of children and pets, label clearly, and use bait stations that limit direct contact.
Long‑term outcomes depend on prompt intervention. Survivors of severe anticoagulant poisoning may experience chronic anemia or organ damage, while delayed treatment of neurotoxic or phosphine exposure often results in irreversible injury or death.