I was wondering how bad a bite from vipera berus (common adder) would be. The answer from what i have found was pretty bad! but i was reading that anti venom is underused in britain and the guidlines they go by is as follows..

• Hypotension with or without signs of shock

• Other signs of systemic envenoming (see above), electrocardiographic abnormalities, peripheral neutrophil leucocytosis, elevated serum creatine kinase, or metabolic acidosis
• Local swelling that is either extensive (involving more than half the bitten limb within 48 hours of the bite) or rapidly spreading (beyond the wrist after bites on the hand or beyond the ankle after bites on the foot within about four hours of the bite).

The bit i highlighted was the bit that interested me. When i applied to the RAF years ago i had to put weight on and so i used creatine while i was training to help build muscle mass. can anyone explain what the bit i highlighted means? is it related?

Hi JAM3S
Creatine kinase is an enzyme found mainly in muscle, in snakebite elevated serum creatine kinase levels will indicate striated muscle destruction,(rhabdomyolysis). The lab would probably check for two isoenzymes, as CK or CPK is different for skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle.
All the best,
Brian.

Thanks for the reply brian.

bodybuilders use creatine, I take it its the same stuff, because I know the creatine bodybuilders take gets made naturally in your muscles in small amounts and also meat contains it.

__________________

Dont forget the unfortunate (and often forgotten) uncontrollable vomiting and s**tting that can result from an adder bite.....

highly undignified....