Study of mortality rate due to acute chemical and drug poisoning in Tehran, 1997-98

Objective: It is important to pay attention to poisoning conditions that have special role in our life. This study was done to investigate the mortality rate induced by acute chemical and drug poisoning in Loghman Hakim hospital (Tehran) during 1997-1998. Methods: During this interval, 35580 patients who were over 12 years old were admitted and their information were registered on questionnaires and then analyzed. Findings: 53% of cases were outpatients and 47% were hospitalized. From all of 35580 patients, 346 patients (0.97%) that 71% of them were male died and the causes of their poisoning were intentional, incorrect use, accidental, unknown and occupational in 57.5%, 35%, 5%, 2% and 0.5% of cases respectively. The most common causes of death induced by poisoning were as follows: Opiate compounds (39.5%), drugs (21.7%), pesticides (17.3%), unknown (7.8%), depilatory compounds (6.6%), alcohol (3%), cyanide and carbon monoxide (2.6%), bites (0.6%), corrosive agents (0.6%) and poisonous plants (0.3%). About 16.5% of dead cases were in emergency or before reaching to the hospital. The main cause of mortality was delay in referring to hospital and respiratory insufficiency so that 51% of cases were referred to the hospital 6 hours after development of poisoning. Conclusion: Providing the necessary facilities for transfer of patients to emergency centers, providing equipment and antidotes, gathering suitable information and medical personnel can be effective in reducing of mortality rate