1. Keep the Victim Breathing
Atropine poisoning can significantly interfere with breathing and heart rate. Watch the victim's vital signs, and administer oxygen or CPR if you need to. This is especially important when administering gastric lavage or other means to flush out the poison. Once you have stabilized the victim, get him to a hospital as quickly as possible.
2. Reduce Any Signs of Fever
A fever is one of the symptoms of excess atropine. Take steps to keep the fever in check. Use ice or cold washcloths if the victim's temperature rises, and keep her warm if chills develop. Though this doesn't treat the root cause of the atropine poisoning, it can keep the effects from overwhelming the victim.
3. Use Gastric Lavage or Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is a common remedy for poisoning. It absorbs poisons in the gastrointestinal tract that the body has not yet digested and then allows them to be processed and pass safely before they can do more damage. A more extensive procedure is gastric lavage, which entails flushing the atropine out of your system. A doctor inserts a tube into your nose and down into your stomach, then pumps in water or saline solution. Some experts believe that activated charcoal is more effective, especially in the early stages of poisoning. Only a trained professional should apply gastric lavage.
4. Give Antidotes
Doctors may administer a number of different antidotes depending on their diagnosis. Small amounts of physostigmine can be given slowly through an IV drip. This can treat symptoms such as delirium and keep the victim from lapsing into a coma, though it requires regular dosages to do so. In some cases, the doctor may suggest a barbiturate or diazepam to control convulsions, though again, he must keep an eye on the dosage.
5. Make Sure Urine Flow Is Regular
Though kidney dialysis isn't recommended, the doctor may need to take steps to keep the urine flowing out of the victim's body (the atropine may cause the body to retain urine, which can cause considerable problems). However, since the kidneys help eliminate the atropine from the body, the doctor shouldn't interfere with their functioning. A catheter can be used to keep the urine flowing and speed up elimination of the poison while still letting the kidneys do their job.
