Epidemiology and Management of Poisoning Cases in the Emergency Room: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Introduction Acute poisoning, arising from exposure to toxic substances, is a critical healthcare challenge. In the United States, it's one of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality. European institutions report that about 1% of all emergency department admissions relate to poisoning, a statistic that becomes alarming given the life-threatening implications. While there's an underreporting of these cases, the actual figure could be much higher. Acute poisoning has resulted in over a million morbidity cases with a 20% mortality rate. Most concerning is the World Health Organization's data indicating that over 90% of accidental poisoning deaths occur in low to middle-income countries. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a 12-month period in three major hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The study population comprised of 1470 patients who presented to emergency departments with suspected acute poisoning. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, capturing data on patient demographics, nature and type of poisoning, initial management, and outcomes. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 28.0 (IBM Corp., Armok, NY). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while Chi-square tests were employed to determine associations between demographic factors and the nature of poisoning. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the link between referrals to specialized centers and patient outcomes. Results Out of the 1470 participants, a significant majority were males, constituting 77.1%. The dominant age group was between 18-24 years, representing 71.4% of the sample. A substantial 88.6% had visited the emergency room due to medical complications stemming from poisoning. When queried about their understanding of acute poisoning, 60.0% were able to correctly define the term. However, a concerning 54.3% reported they had never received any formal training or been part of awareness programs regarding poisoning. There was a marked association (p < 0.001) between demographics and the nature of toxin exposure. Delving deeper into the specifics of poisoning incidents, medications were identified as the primary culprits in 8.6% of the cases, followed by household chemicals at 5.7%. Crucially, a vast majority, 82.9%, were of the opinion that with the right education and precautions in place, the incidence of poisoning cases could be substantially reduced. Conclusion Acute poisoning is a pressing concern in Saudi Arabia, with a significant proportion of the population unaware or inadequately trained to handle such emergencies. This study underscores the importance of awareness campaigns, formal education, and specialized training to prevent and effectively manage poisoning cases in emergency settings. Moreover, the strong association between certain demographics and toxin exposures suggests that targeted interventions might be necessary for specific groups.