Clinical Considerations in the Use of Pyridostigmine Bromide as Pretreatment for Nerve-Agent Exposure
Abstract
The currently fielded pretreatment for nerve-agent exposure is pyridostigmine bromide (PB). Military physicians and other health-care providers need to be familiar with this medication, with the rationale for its use, and with its effects on the body. They also need to be able to respond intelligently to questions from healthy soldiers taking PB, from patients, and from field commanders. This publication is intended to address the major issues that military health-care providers need to understand concerning nerve-agent pretreatment with PB. It is organized around a series of questions about PB in general and its pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and elimination), pharmacodynamics (mechanism of action), field use, and reported and expected effects. The information is doctrinally consistent with and assumes a working knowledge of the tri-service field manual "Treatment of Chemical Agent Casualties and Conventional Military Chemical Injuries," Army FM8-285, Navy NAVMED P-5041, Air Force AFM 16011, dated 22 December 1995.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA412582
Entities
People
- Charles G. Hurst
- James A. Romano Jr.
- James M. Madsen
- Roger Macintosh
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense