Prevalence of prescription and non-prescription drugs-related overdoses at emergency departments in Amman—a cross sectional study

Abstract

A major concern associated with misuse and abuse of drugs is the potential for overdose. This study is aimed at evaluating, over a 1-year period, drug-related overdoses (those involving prescription and non-prescription drugs) that have led to patients presenting at three major emergency departments in Amman. A data collection sheet was designed to capture the information required from the emergency records in each hospital. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows (version 20). A total of 788 patients were admitted to the emergency departments with acute drug overdoses using 135 different kinds of drugs. The female-to-male ratio was 1.7:1. The highest incidence of drug overdoses was in children 5 years old and younger (49%). Paracetamol was the most common drug involved in overdoses (14%), followed by ibuprofen (6.7%), diclofenac (4%), and amoxicillin (4%). It is recognized that overdose is among the most frequent reasons for visits to emergency departments. Regulations, appropriate post-marketing vigilance, and higher awareness of drugs misuse and abuse potentials which could lead to overdose are recommended for medical prescribers, pharmacists, and the public.