Citation

Durakovic Z. European Journal of Geriatrics 2000; 2(3): 135-139.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the Department of Internal Medicine, Rebro University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia, during a five-year period, we treated 0.2% of poisoned patients 65 years of age or above and 0.6% under 65 years of age. In our Intensive Care Unit during eleven years, 2.41% of all patients were treated because of poisoning, 23.7% of them were 65 years of age or above and 76.6% below the age of 65. In this report we present 4 cases of acute poisoning in the elderly. All of them were admitted in a comatous state (degree IV) and were treated successfully. The first patient aged 68 years had attempted to commit suicide by taking 4 mg of medigoxin and 400 IU of Lente insulin and many other drugs and was treated with symptomatic measures; the second aged 80 years had attempted suicide by taking a 40-year-old ampoule containing 500 mg of morphine. This patient was treated with naloxone iv. The third patient aged 80 years attempted to commit suicide by taking 1 dl of 2,4-D and was treated with haemodialysis and haemoperfusion methods; the fourth aged 68 years attempted suicide by drinking 1.5 l of cognac and was treated with hemodialysis.

CONCLUSION: There is no age limit for the use of any of the therapeutic procedures in the treatment of acute poisoning in the elderly.

Language: en

Keywords

2,4-D; Acute intoxication; aged; article; case report; Elderly; Ethanol; geriatric care; hemodialysis; Hemodialysis; human; Insulin; insulin zinc suspension; intensive care unit; intoxication; male; Medigoxin; metildigoxin; morphine; Morphine; suicide attempt; treatment indication