Citation

Miguel Bouzas JC, Aboy Álvarez B, Díaz Acevedo M, Castro Tubío E, Montero Pérez O, Tabernero Duque MJ. Rev. Toxicol. 2016; 33(2): 93-97.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Asociación Española de Toxicología)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to know the number and the type of acute intoxications registered in the Vigo's hospital Povisa, its intention, chronology, toxics involved, precedents the patients presented at the admission, its clinical practice, evolution and treatment administered. Furthermore, the data obtained was compared with similar studies carried out in other health areas. For this purpose, a descriptive study of incidence was carried out by reviewing the clinical history of 386 patients with acute intoxication treated at a hospital emergency department. The most frequent toxics were drugs of abuse (61.9%), mainly alcohol, followed by medication (40.4%) (mostly benzodiazepines). The peak incidence was on Fridays and Saturdays (34.2%). The time passed until patients were discharged from the hospital was less than 12 hours in 81.6% of the cases. Suicidal purpose was the most frequent (33.4%). Neurological symptoms predominate among the clinical manifestations. Death was registered only in one patient (0.26%). The intoxications by drugs of abuse predominated among men and the ones by medication abuse among women. The most frequent purpose was the suicidal attempt, with significant differences by gender (suicidal intention was the main purpose in women, and addiction to toxic substances in men, mainly alcohol). There were psychiatric precedents or previous intoxications in more than half of the cases researched. After being attended in the Emergency Department, more than half of the patients were discharged from the hospital. © 2016, Asociacion Espanola de Toxicologia. All rights reserved.

Language: es

Keywords

Spain; human; Suicide; female; male; alcohol; Alcohol; alcoholism; suicide attempt; drug abuse; intoxication; hospital; Acute intoxication; benzodiazepine; Drugs of abuse; Article; descriptive research; Galicia