Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To document changing trends in deliberate self poisoning in patients admitted in
intensive care unit of Accident & Emergency (A & E) Department of Liaquat University Hospital
Hyderabad.
DESIGN: Descriptive Retrospective
SETTING: Intensive care unit of A & E Department at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad
from January to December 2008.
METHODS: Medical records of 236 patients of poisoning admitted in intensive care unit of A & E
Department at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad from January to December 2008 were reviewed; relevant data like history and clinical finding were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS: During study period, 236 patients of poisoning were admitted in intensive care unit
of A&E Department at Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad. The mean age was31.24±10.72,
females were 130(55.08%) & males were 106(44.91%), poisoning observed was common
(44.49%) in age group 20-30 years. The changing trend was more towards suicidal 160(67.79%)
than accidental 76(32.20%). The drugs used for poisoning were organophosphate (73.30%), benzodiazepines (14.40%), powders (rat killer/ anti lice) (7.62%) and oil (phenyl, kerosene) (4.66%).
The fatal out come was (9.32%) and the survival rate was (60.67%). The route / exposure of
cases by ingestion was 160(67.79%), by inhalation 50(21.18%) and topical 26(11.01%).
CONCLUSION: This study shows marked decline in the use of benzodiazepines and other
agents as compared to organophosphate poisoning which shows increase in their usage resulting in changing trends of poisonous agents. The reasons of this change were due to easy availability of the toxic agents over the counter. Preventive measures are to be taken to stop the
easy availability of these toxins by appropriate legislation. Awareness and education to the people is recommended to avoid such mishaps.
Afzal Memon, Jan Muhammad Shaikh , Salman Ahmed Farsi Kazi, Muhammad Akbar Kazi . (2012) Changing Trends in Deliberate Self Poisoning at Hyderabad, Journal of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Volume-11, Issue-3.
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