TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2018//
TI  - Antidote availability in Saudi Arabia hospitals in the Riyadh Province
JO  - Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
A1  - AlTamimi, Abdullah
A1  - Malhis, Nidal K.
A1  - Khojah, Najla M.
A1  - Manea, Saleh A.
A1  - AlTamimi, Abdulrahman
A1  - AlShammary, Sami Ayed
SP  - 288
EP  - 292
VL  - 122
IS  - 2
N2  - Inadequate antidote stocking is a global problem in hospitals. Insufficient supplies and delays in the administration of antidotes could lead to death and additional potentially negative clinical consequences. Our objective was to determine the availability of antidotes in hospitals listed on the Saudi Ministry of Health website in the Riyadh Province and to evaluate the leading poison in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to pharmacist directors and emergency room-treating physicians in 17 public hospitals throughout the Riyadh Province. None (0/17) of the pharmacies contained the 24 recommended essential antidotes by the expert consensus guidelines for stocking of antidotes in hospitals. Polyvalent scorpion antivenom, atropine sulphate, calcium gluconate, flumazenil and naloxone hydrochloride were stocked in 94.12% (16/17) of hospitals. 66.67% of patients presented with osmolality, and 55.56% of referral patients with opiates, barbiturates, acetaminophen and salicylate. Our findings have important implications for healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical practices. National practice guidelines are needed to assist pharmacists in selecting appropriate antidotes based on the local pattern of poisoning incidents. Therefore, further study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to be completed to fully evaluate the availability of antidotes throughout the country.<br><br>© 2017 The Authors. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1742-7835
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bcpt.12897
ID  - ref1
ER  -