A 56-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his neighbor 2 hours after they found him unresponsive in the garden. He is confused and unable to provide further history.Temperature is 36.6 C (98 F), blood pressure is 110/60 mm Hg, pulse is 58/min, and respirations are 42/min. On examination, the patient is lethargic and salivating. The pupils are constricted. His clothes are soaked with vomit, urine, and feces. Which of the following medications should be administered first during treatment of this patient's current condition?

Question

A 56-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his neighbor 2 hours after they found him unresponsive in the garden. He is confused and unable to provide further history.Temperature is 36.6 C (98 F), blood pressure is 110/60 mm Hg, pulse is 58/min, and respirations are 42/min.  On examination, the patient is lethargic and salivating. The pupils are constricted. His clothes are soaked with vomit, urine, and feces. Which of the following medications should be administered first during treatment of this patient's current condition?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Organophosphates are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that are commonly used as agricultural pesticides.  Toxicity is characterized by signs of cholinergic excess (eg, miosis, bronchospasm, muscle fasciculations/weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, lacrimation).  First-line therapy is atropine, a competitive inhibitor of acetylcholine at the muscarinic receptor.

A 56-Year-Old Man Is Brought to the Emergency Department by His