Analysis of pharmaceutical poisonings in adults occurred in adana region of Turkey in north eastern mediterranean

Aims: Pharmaceutical poisonings may result in severe morbidity and mortality. Analysis of patients with pharmaceutical poisoning is important for a better medical management. This study aimed at the epidemiological analysis of the patients diagnosed with pharmaceutical poisonings over 18 years old. Materials and methods: Total 1507 patients who admitted to Emergency Department of Adana Numune Education and Research Hospital in Southern Turkey, which is working as regional poisoning centre hospital, between December, 1 2009 and December 31 2010 with pharmaceutical poisoning were included in this study. Results: Most of the patients were women between the ages of 18-30, committed suicide, by multiple drug ingestion. Antidepressant drug intake in female patients, and caustic substances, rodenticide, organophosphate, narcotic drugs in male patients were statistically significantly higher than the other gender of drugs. We determined that 12.7% of the patients who were referred from other medical institutions did not have the basic important treatments, such as early gastric lavage and administration of activated charcoal. Most of the patients were discharged in good general conditions after treatment. There was no mortality in our emergency department. Discussion and conclusion: In order to minimize the poisonings, patients and society should be educated, pharmaceuticals should not be sold without a prescription and the presence of the agricultural insecticide and chemicals at home should be avoided. Also standard treatment approach protocols should be applied in all hospitals to reduce mortality and morbidity

An unusual case of mesalazine intoxication: Oral and rectal overloading of the rectal suppository form

PubMedID: 20670990Drugs containing 5-acetylsalicylic acid (5-ASA) have been commonly used for inflammatory bowel diseases for more than half a century, but no case about overdose of suppository form of mesalazine which was taken both orally and rectally has been reported in the related literature up to now. In the present case, a 20-year-old male patient who took 14.5 g of mesalazine rectally and orally for suicide purpose is discussed. He was an ulcerative colitis patient and depressed about his illness and routine life traffic. Although it was hard for him to take the suppository form orally because of its bad taste and structure, he took it with the help of water. In the patient's colonoscopy, diffuse hyperemia and edema extending from the anal channel to the proximal rectal mucosa and a 1.5 cm diameter ulcer expanding from anal channel through the rectum were identified. No pathology was found in the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Routine laboratory examination was performed and no abnormality was identified in the patient's total blood account, biochemical parameters and full-urine examination. In the control rectoscopy applied to the patient 15 days later, recovery of the ulcer was observed and he was discharged to be followed in the psychiatry clinic. © The Author(s) 2010