Poisoning by Chemical Warfare Agents

Chemical warfare agents are defined as any chemical substance whose toxic properties are utilized to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy in warfare and associated military operations. There has been a legislative effort worldwide to ban their use under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which came into force in 1997. However, the manufacture of these agents cannot be completely prohibited as some of them have potential industrial uses. The ease of manufacturing these agents and their effectiveness during combat or small-scale terrorist operations still make them a powerful weapon to reckon with. This review briefly discusses their properties, mechanism of toxicity and clinical features of exposure, as well as the pharmacological management of poisoning caused by chemical agents.