Pulmonary Effects and Complications of Snakebites

This review is on the pulmonary complications of snakebites, which can have fatal consequences. We identified three common themes as reported in the literature regarding envenomation: generalized neuromuscular paralysis affecting airway and respiratory muscles, pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hemorrh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Chest Vol. 146; no. 5; pp. 1403 - 1412
Main Authors:	Gnanathasan, Ariaranee, MPhil, MD, Rodrigo, Chaturaka, MD
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Elsevier Inc 01-11-2014
Subjects:	Humans Lung - drug effects Lung Diseases - etiology Pulmonary/Respiratory Snake Bites - complications Snake Venoms - poisoning
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	This review is on the pulmonary complications of snakebites, which can have fatal consequences. We identified three common themes as reported in the literature regarding envenomation: generalized neuromuscular paralysis affecting airway and respiratory muscles, pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hemorrhages or thrombosis due to coagulopathy. Respiratory paralysis and pulmonary edema can be due to either elapid or viper bites, whereas pulmonary complications of coagulopathy are exclusively reported with viper bites. The evidence for each complication, timeline of appearance, response to treatment, and details of pathophysiology are discussed.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-1
ISSN:	0012-3692 1931-3543
DOI:	10.1378/chest.13-2674