Recent advances: Management of self poisoning

Aluminium phosphide poisoning

“…For this reason, patients in Nepal presenting within 1 hour of AlP ingestion undergo gastric lavage with vegetable oil. 1 The gaseous nature of phosphine has potential for contamination of emergency service personnel exposed to victims, and when AlP tablets are swallowed, contamination of body tissues results. 2 3 Our risk assessment suggested low potential for secondary contamination of the emergency department, as ingestion had occurred 2 hours previously and was accompanied by profuse vomiting.…”

Clinical vs. Laboratory Identification of Drugs of Abuse in Patients Admitted for Acute Poisoning

“…About 15 to 20% of the workload of medical units, and 10% of the workload of accident and emergency departments in the United Kingdom are due to self-poisoning (1). In Oslo, Norway, the incidence of 3.1 admissions per 1000 inhabitants has been reported (2).…”

Acute poisonings treated in hospitals in Oslo: A one-year prospective study (II): Clinical outcome

“…Acute poisonings represent a major health problem, and frequently cause hospitalizations (1). In 1980, a prospective study of all hospitalized poisoned patients in Oslo revealed a low in-hospital mortality of 0.5%.…”