Acute poisoning is common, accounting for about 1% of hospital admissions in the UK1.
Common important substances involving poisoning in UK are1: analgesics: Paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin nor epinephrine re-uptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and lithium, cardiovascular agents: β-blockers, calcium channel blockers and cardiac glycosides, Drugs of misuse: anti-depressants, opiates, benzodiazepines, stimulants and entactogens (e.g. amphetamines, MDMA, mephedrone, cocaine), hallucinogens e.g. cannabis, synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists), carbon monoxide, alcohol.
But in South and South-east Asia, common or otherwise important substances involved are: organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides, aluminium and zinc phosphide, paraquat, oleander, corrosives, snake and insect venoms1.
Poisoning is a major cause of death in young adults; most deaths occur before patients reach medical attention. Accidental poisoning is also common, especially in children and older people. Criminal poisoning may also occur, including drug-facilitated robbery or sexual assault.
In low- and middle-income countries, the frequency of self-harm is more difficult to estimate. Because of their widespread availability and use, household and agricultural products, such as pesticides and herbicides, are common sources of poisoning and have a much higher case fatality. In China and South-east Asia, pesticides account for about 300,000 suicides each year.
Snake bite and other forms of envenomation are also important causes of morbidity and mortality internationally. According to the World Health Organization, 99% of the fatal poisoning cases occurred in developing countries2.
In our country it causes around 3,000,000 episodes and around 2000 death per year. It consumes not only the valuable health service resources but also causes considerable morbidity and mortality3.
Poisoning is a serious threat in Bangladesh as it comprises around 44% of all deaths among adult females and around 8 to 10% of overall mortality in medical wards of tertiary healthcare settings4.
Common types of poisoning in this country are organophosphorus poisoning, poisoning with unknown substances especially in commuter (travel-related) poisoning; poisoning with sedatives, aluminium phosphide, corrosive agents, rodenticides, kerosene/petrol and alcohol, and snakebite4,5.
The pattern of poisoning as well as their sociodemographic parameters varies in times and, from one country to another, even among different regions of a country.
This study was carried out to describe the sociodemographic profile, pattern of poisoning and outcome in a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh.
Objectives of this study was to study the clinical profile of patient presenting with acute poisoning; and, to study the outcome of the patient presenting with poisoning.