[Poisoning and drug emergency in practice]

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Toxicology
• Clinical Management

Context:

• Intoxicated patients constitute a significant portion (5-10%) of emergency department (ED) visits.
• Patient management can be complex, ranging from non-toxic ingestions to severe intentional poisonings requiring intensive care.
• Accurate identification of the ingested substance is often challenging due to patient unresponsiveness or lack of collateral information.

Purpose:

• To highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in managing intoxicated patients in the ED.
• To emphasize the importance of identifying the specific toxic agent for rational patient management.
• To underscore the critical role of collateral information and clinical experience in diagnosing rare intoxications.

Summary:

• Emergency departments frequently encounter intoxicated patients, necessitating specialized medical and nursing care, particularly in cases of intentional poisoning.
• When patients are comatose, identifying the causative agent relies heavily on information from relatives and friends, which may be difficult to obtain.
• Knowledge of the toxic agent enables physicians to stabilize vital functions and plan definitive treatment, with Poison Control Centers offering valuable guidance for complex or rare cases.

Impact:

• Improved patient outcomes through timely and accurate diagnosis of toxic exposures.
• Enhanced clinical decision-making by emergency physicians through a better understanding of intoxication management strategies.
• Reduced morbidity and mortality associated with poisoning incidents by facilitating appropriate and evidence-based interventions.