Radiation Sickness: Drug Therapy

Therapy recommendations

  • The first measure to be taken is decontamination.
  • Treatment of radiation sickness is supportive (assisting):
    • Anti-infectives (drugs against infections) for infection prophylaxis.
    • Blood products such as red blood cell (RBC) concentrates (EC; “blood reserve” consisting of red blood cells (erythrocytes)).
    • Fluid intake and electrolytes (blood salts) according to laboratory status.
    • Parenteral nutrition (via vein to bypass the gastrointestinal tract).
  • Efforts must be made to help each organ regenerate as much as possible.
  • See also under “Further therapy“.

Note on preventive measures!

Potassium iodide tablets (colloquially referred to as “iodine tablets“) are administered in radiation accidents to protect against radiation exposure of the thyroid gland. This causes iodine blockade, resulting in a reduction in the uptake of radioactive iodine into the thyroid gland by a factor of 90 and above. Radiation damage to other organs The iodine blockade should be administered before the radioactive iodine is absorbed, at the latest within two hours of exposure, although by then the protective effect has already been halved. After eight hours, the tablets no longer have any effect on the radiation exposure of the thyroid gland. If taken later, potassium iodide can still shorten the retention time of the radioiodine in the thyroid gland. However, first-time use should not take place later than one day after the ingestion of radioactive iodine, as otherwise its excretion is delayed and the retention time is increased.

According to the recommendation of the Radiation Protection Commission, iodine blockade is performed according to the following step scheme:

A. Perimeter up to 25 km of the affected nuclear power plant.

  • All persons up to 45 years of age receive iodine tablets.

B. A radius of 25-100 km of the affected nuclear power plant.

  • Pregnant women and children / adolescents up to 18 years receive iodine tablets.

The following dosages are recommended

Person group Daily dose in mg iodide Daily dose in mg potassium iodide Tablets of 65 mg potassium iodide
<1 month 12,5 16,25 1/4
1-36 >months 25 32,5 1/2
3-12 years 50 65 1
13-45 years and pregnant women 100 130 2
> 45 years 0 0 0

WHO recommends 130 milligrams as a single dose one to two days before the radioactive cloud arrives.