Metabolic complications of poisoning

Poisoning caused by a large range of drugs and chemicals can induce metabolic complications via a large number of mechanisms. Some metabolic complications are life-threatening but all require careful assessment, appropriate monitoring and consideration of treatment. Prompt diagnosis and management reduce morbidity and mortality. Treatment may be targeted to the specific poisoning, and may be time-critical, or can follow similar approaches to those of general and acute medicine. This review introduces metabolic complications associated with sodium, potassium, metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and methaemoglobinaemia.