Question of the Day

Question - The reference cited below notes between the years 1992 and 1998, “several patients in the U.S. Pacific Northwest developed anorexia, malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, diaphoresis, and vertigo within 30 mins to 12 hrs of consuming a particular raw or cooked mushroom”. Reportedly, many of the poisoned patients were seeking the edible white matsutake mushroom, Tricholoma magnivalere. What mushroom species was responsible for this outbreak of mushroom related illness?

Question - What sub group of patients are reportedly most susceptible to the epileptogenic neurotoxicity associated with gyromitrin-containing mushrooms?

Question - Andexanet alfa is a class specific antidote approved for the reversal of Factor Xa inhibitors (e.g. apixaban, rivaroxaban). What are the factors that influence the recommended dosing of andexanet alfa?

Question - What are the so-called “fourth generation agent” (FGS) chemical weapons?

Question - Cardiac toxicity induced by anthracycline antineoplastic agents can develop in an acute, subacute, or chronic manner. What characterizes these various forms of anthracycline cardio-toxicity?

Question -What are the adverse ocular effects associated with the drug amiodarone?

Question - Adamsite (diphenylaminechlorarsine) is a vomiting compound that has been used as a riot-control agent (military designation, DM). Adverse health effects due to exposure to adamsite involve rapid onset irritation of the eyes, upper airway, and skin and also nausea and vomiting. If concentrations are low, initial symptoms may resemble those of a severe cold. What is the usual time course of effects related to adamsite exposure?

Question - Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is most commonly associated with maternal opioid use during pregnancy. Maternal use of what herbal substance, touted by some for the treatment of opioid withdrawal, has been associated with the development of NAS?

Question - What is the so-called “differentiation syndrome”?

Question - Etomidate is widely used for induction of general anesthesia and sedation including in elderly and/or hemodynamically unstable patients. What is the most prominent problem associated with etomidate when this drug is used as an anesthesia induction agent?