TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Deliberate self harm by paraquat poisoning JO - Anil Aggrawal's internet journal of forensic medicine and toxicology A1 - Ravi Kumar, R. A1 - Punitha, R. SP - EP - VL - 17 IS - 2 N2 - Paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium dichloride) is a herbicide used to prepare land or control weeds in major food crops. Although banned in many countries, including the entire EU, But in a number of developing countries plantation workers and small farmers spray Paraquat to kill weeds. They are highly effective pesticides, but have been reportedly used for deliberate self harm in many parts of the world including India. As a result, several ten thousand people are poisoned every year and become ill. Thousands die a painful accidental death or commit suicide. There is no specific antidote available for Paraquat poisoning. It is important to establish the diagnosis early and to pursue aggressive decontamination and prevention of further absorption. However, high mortality rate is associated with Paraquat poisoning in spite of advances in treatment and supportive care. If paraquat was banned worldwide and so no longer available, many thousands of lives would be saved, whether from occupational poisoning, suicide, or accidents to children. We describe two cases of paraquat poisoning who developed serious toxicity following its ingestion and died of respiratory failure. © 2017, Anil Aggrawal's Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. All rights reserved.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0972-8066 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -