Causes of Death and Treatment of Organophosphorus Pesticide Poisoning

Toxication caused by pesticides is a serious health problem in our country. Organophosphates are the leading cause of pesticide toxications in our country, as they are worldwide. These compounds lead to acetylcholine deposition by blocking acetylcholine esterase enzyme, causing muscarinic, nicotinic and central nervous symptoms due to continuous stimulation of the receptors. Mortality occurs in the early period due to acute cholinergic crisis or later in patients with intermediate syndrome. Death is caused by heart conduction disturbances and respiratory failure during the acute cholinergic crisis period, whereas it is due to respiratory failure in patients with an intermediate syndrome. Management of patients with pesticide poisoning should start by providing adequate respiratory and circulatory support followed by antidotes and other medical therapies. In this review, we have aimed to explain the properties and mechanisms of action of organophosphate compounds;with causes of mortality in the poisoning of these compounds and recent approaches for management of toxication.