Pyridostigmine used as a nerve agent pretreatment under wartime conditions. (Reannouncement with new availability information)

Technical Report · Wed Aug 07 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:104162

Keeler, J R; Hurst, C G; Dunn, M A

During Operation Desert Storm there was a credible threat of chemical warfare even though there was never actual use of chemical agents. Intelligence reports indicated that the Iraqi chemical arsenal contained nerve, vesicant, and blood agents. Nerve agents are organophosphorus inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase, such as sarin and tabun. The vesicants are skin blistering compounds, such as mustards and arsenicals, while blood agents are the cyanides, inhibitors of cytochrome oxidase. The US Armed Force`s approach to the medical management of actual or anticipated nerve agent injuries employs a regimen that consists of pretreatment with pyridostigmine bromide tablets prior to nerve agent exposure followed by atropine citrate and pralidoxime chloride by autoinjector intramuscularly on actual exposure. Proper administration of this drug combination provides significantly increased survival after lethal exposures to nerve agents above that provided by atropine and pralidoxime therapy alone. The recent addition of pyridostigmine to the US therapeutic regimen for nerve agent poisoning was based on efficacy data in animals and safety studies in humans.

• Research Organization: Army Medical Research Inst. of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (United States)
• OSTI ID: 104162
• Report Number(s): AD-A--243071/8/XAB; USAMRICD-P--91-012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
TOXICITY