Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

Clinical Toxicology

Poisoning is an adverse effect from a chemical that has been taken in excessive amounts. The body is able to tolerate and, in some cases, detoxify a certain dose of a chemical; however, once a critical threshold is exceeded, toxicity results. Poisoning can produce minor local effects that can be treated readily in the outpatient setting or systemic life-threatening effects that require intensive medical intervention. This spectrum of toxicity is typical for many chemicals with which humans come in contact.