Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Internal Medicine, Faghihi Hospital, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Objective: The epidemiology of drug poisoning is an essential field of study in public health research that explores the many aspects of this urgent problem. Accidental poisoning is the third most common cause of death and the fifth most common reason for hospital visits in several developing countries. Pharmaceutical poisoning is the second most common cause of hospital admissions and deaths in Iran, where unintentional poisoning remains a serious health concern. This research aims to thoroughly investigate all aspects of drug poisoning cases using epidemiological analysis.
Methods: This study analyzed the records of 701 consecutive patients at Shiraz Faghihi hospital Medical Emergency Center in Iran between April 1 and September 30, 2022. Poisoning diagnosis was determined based on reports and documents. Data were collected from patient medical records and analyzed using SPSS software, with a significance level set at P < 0.05. The chi-square test was used to compare the means of drug-posing variables and demographic variables.
Results: This study reviewed 701 cases, with an average age of 35.02 ± 16.104 (P < 0.001), 45.8% of whom had education levels higher than high school (P = 0.012). The majority (66.6%) had no psychiatric history (P < 0.001), and 55.6% had no history of addiction (P < 0.001). The predominant poisoning agent was opium (48.9%), followed by benzodiazepine poisoning (40.2%). About 10% were attributed to other causes. A mortality rate of 3.4% was observed, and 96.6% of the cases survived.
Conclusion: The study underscores the crucial importance of addressing drug usage for both prevention and therapy. Additionally, the revelation that medicines often serve as the primary source of toxicity, particularly in developing countries, emphasizes the high accessibility and potential hazards associated with these medications.
Keywords
Main Subjects
prehospital emergency center in Qaemshahr city, Iran. Health in Emergencies and Disasters Quarterly. 2023;8(2):115-24.
doi: 10.32598/hdq.8.2.433.1.
2. Fazel Tolami L, Maleki Ziabari SM. Study of variety of toxicity in the poisoned cases rescued by emergency medical sciences center in Guilan. J Guilan Univ Med Sci. 2012;21(84):77-82.[Persian].
3. Hossain R, Amin R, Riyadh Hossain A, Kahhar A, Rabbi Chowdhury F. Clinico-epidemiological study of poisoning in
a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. J Emerg Pract Trauma. 2017;3(1):4-10. doi: 10.15171/jept.2017.06.
4. Titidezh V, Arefi M, Taghaddosinejad F, Behnoush B, Akbar Pour S, Mahboobi M. Epidemiologic profile of deaths due to drug and chemical poisoning in patients referred to Baharloo hospital of Tehran, 2011 to 2014. J Forensic Leg Med.
2019;64:31-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2019.02.009.
5. Joda A, Ajetunmobi O, Olugbake O. Poisoning and its management in healthcare facilities in Lagos state, Nigeria.
Pharm Biomed Res. 2021;7(1):5-14. doi: 10.18502/pbr.v7i1.7352.
6. Shakeri MT, Afshari R, Aghajani H, Dinmohamadi E, Hadianfar A. Study geographical distribution of poisoning cases referred to the emergency department of Imam-Reza hospital Mashhad: 2013. Med J Mashhad Univ Med Sci. 2016;59(3):171-8. doi:10.22038/mjms.2016.7717. [Persian].
7. Ahmadi A, Pakravan N, Ghazizadeh Z. Pattern of acute food, drug, and chemical poisoning in Sari city, Northern Iran. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2010;29(9):731-8. doi:10.1177/0960327110361501.
8. Alinejad S, Zamani N, Abdollahi M, Mehrpour O. A narrative review of acute adult poisoning in Iran. Iran J Med Sci.
2017;42(4):327-46.
9. Vazirianzadeh B, Hossienzadeh M, Moravvej SA, Vazirianzadeh M, Mosavi SA. An epidemiological study on
scorpion stings in Lordegan county, south-west of Iran. Arch Razi Inst. 2013;68(1):71-6. doi: 10.7508/ari.2013.01.012.
10. Afzali S, Moradi A, Alinaghizadeh H. Epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes of drugs poisoning in the
Hamadan, Iran: (2015-2019). Asia Pac J Med Toxicol. 2020;9(3):97-103. doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2020.16752.
11. Mehrpour O. Methamphetamin abuse a new concern in Iran. Daru. 2012;20(1):73. doi: 10.1186/2008-2231-20-73.
12. Vatandoost H, Mirakbari S. Study of poisoning in adults at poison control center, Loqman Hakeem hospital Tehran-Iran from April 25, 2000, to April 25, 2001. The Internet Journal of Pharmacology. 2002;1(2):1-5.
13. Khodabandeh F, Emamhadi MA, Mostafazadeh B. Epidemiological assessment of acute poisoning death - one
year survey. Int J Med Toxicol Forensic Med. 2012;2(3):103-9.doi: 10.22037/ijmtfm.v2i3(Summer).3864.
14. Mortazavi SM, Haaji Y, Khonche A, Jamilian H. Epidemiology and causes of poisoning in patients referred to Loqman hospital, Tehran, Iran during summer 2010. Iran J Toxicol.2012;6(17):642-8.
15. Hassanian-Moghaddam H, Zamani N, Rahimi M, Shadnia S, Pajoumand A, Sarjami S. Acute adult and adolescent
poisoning in Tehran, Iran; the epidemiologic trend between 2006 and 2011. Arch Iran Med. 2014;17(8):534-8. doi:
10.13140/2.1.3455.0406.
16. Hashemnejad M, Fatehi R. Epidemiological study of poisoning in patients of Karaj Shariati hospital in 2011 to 2012. Int J Med Toxicol Forensic Med. 2014;4(1):17-22. doi: 10.22037/ijmtfm.v4i1(Winter).4758.
17. Sabzghabaee AM, Soleimani M, Farajzadegan Z, Hosseinpoor S, Mirhosseini SM, Eizadi-Mood N. Social risk factors and outcome analysis of poisoning in an Iranian referral medical center: a toxico-epidemiological approach. J Res Pharm Pract. 2013;2(4):151-5. doi: 10.4103/2279-042x.128144.
18. Kassiri H, Feiz-Haddad MH, Ghasemi F, Rezaei M, Ghanavati F. An epidemiologic and demographic survey of poisoning in southwest of Iran. Middle East J Sci Res. 2012;12(7):990-6.doi: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2012.12.7.7155.
19. Najafi F, Ahmadi Jouibari T, Moradi Nazar M, Izadi N. Causes and risk factors of self-poisoning in adolescents 15 to 20 years: a single-center study with 321 patients. Iran J Forensic Med. 2012;18(1):33-8. [Persian].
20. Moradi M, Ghaemi K, Mehrpour O. A hospital base epidemiology and pattern of acute adult poisoning across Iran:
a systematic review. Electron Physician. 2016;8(9):2860-70.doi: 10.19082/2860.
21. Azin SA, Shahidzadeh Mahani A, Abadi M, Omidvari S, Montazeri A. Substances involved in human poisoning a
comparison between intentional and accidental poisoning cases. Iran J Epidemiol. 2008;4(2):7-17. [Persian].
22. Eddleston M. Patterns and problems of deliberate selfpoisoning in the developing world. QJM. 2000;93(11):715-
31. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/93.11.715.
23. Mohammadi N, Karbakhsh M, Pajoumand A. Epidemiologic aspects of deliberate self-poisoning in adolescents: a hospitalbased study in Tehran. Tehran Univ Med J. 2007;65(4):59-64.[Persian].
24. Hassanian-Moghaddam H, Pajoumand A, Sarjami S. Oneyear epidemiological study of acute adult and adolescent
poisoning admitted to Loghman hospital, Tehran, 2004-2005. Iran J Forensic Med. 2008;13(4):235-40. [Persian].
25. Aryaie M, Dokoohaki R, Rezaeian Mehrabadi A, Bakhsha F. Epidemiological study of poisoning in teaching hospitals
in Shiraz in 1387. Alborz Univ Med J. 2012;1(2):71-6. doi:10.18869/acadpub.aums.1.2.71. [Persian].
26. Tabibzadeh SA, Yazdani R, Zare S, Golmirzaei J, Solati SM, Tavousi Tehrani B. Epidemiologic study of poisonings in
patients reffering to emergency ward of Shahid Mohammadi university hospital in Bandar Abbas. Hormozgan Med J.
2014;18(4):313-22.