Final answer:
Salicylate toxicity presents with nausea and vomiting, tinnitus, hyperventilation, and metabolic acidosis, alongside potentially severe outcomes such as confusion, seizures, and organ failure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The clinical presentations of salicylate toxicity can vary based on the severity and duration of exposure. Common symptoms include nausea and vomiting, which may progress to gastrointestinal hemorrhage with emesis and bloody diarrhea, eventually leading to liver and kidney failure. Other characteristic findings include tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing noise in the ears, and hyperventilation as the body's response to counteract the developing metabolic acidosis, which is a common and serious consequence of significant salicylate poisoning indicated by blood pH dropping due to increased acid metabolites. Additionally, confusion, seizure, and a rapid or gasping respiratory pattern may occur, especially as toxicity progresses. In some cases, symptoms may be delayed or preceded by a latent period of flu-like signs ranging from 4-8 hours after exposure.