Final answer:
Nerve agent poisoning leads to serious symptoms that can result in death, and the treatment involves anticholinergic drugs such as atropine and oximes as an antidote. These treatments are often included in a Nerve Agent Antidote Kit used for rapid administration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Poisoning by nerve agents results in symptoms such as constriction of pupils, profuse salivation, convulsions, and involuntary urination and defecation, with the potential for asphyxiation or cardiac arrest to follow due to loss of control over respiratory and other muscles.
Nerve agents are known to disrupt the nervous system by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, leading to continual nerve impulses and nonstop muscle contractions. Common nerve agents include Sarin and VX.
The standard treatment involves the use of an anticholinergic drug like atropine, which acts as an antagonist to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to manage symptoms, and an oxime, which works as an antidote.
In the military, a combination of these treatments is often issued in an autoinjector, such as the ATNAA, for rapid administration under stressful conditions. The endpoint for atropine administration is the clearing of bronchial secretions.
Contained within a Nerve Agent Antidote Kit (NAAK), you'll often find atropine, an oxime like pralidoxime, and often a diazepam as well for seizure control. The goal of this combination is to manage symptoms, reverse the nerve agent's effect, and protect the individual from the seizure effects of exposure.