Drug poisoning patterns: the Albany experience, 1978 and 1988

This study retrospectively compares the demography and patterns of poisonings and their local variations among patients admitted to Albany Medical Center Hospital in the years 1978 and 1988. An increase in the number of admissions during this period of time, and an apparent substantial change in the pattern of poisonings was observed; in addition, the gender difference observed in 1978 disappeared. Although street drugs were a common source of poisoning, the resulting morbidity and mortality was low. The use of extracorporeal drug removal procedures appears to have declined in this institution in the two years evaluated.