Trend of Poisoned Patients’ in Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Poisonings are the major emergency health issues of which many are acute as well as severe case are encountered in emergency ward of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) being located in the Eastern region of Nepal. A hospital based retrospective study was carried out where 57 poisoned patients admitted, 24 (42.1%) were males whereas 33 (57.9%) were females varied from 14-68 years. 27 (47.36%) patients belong to 20-40 years. 17 (29.82%) patients were more than 40 years and 13 (22.8%) were below 20 years. 77.2% were from Terai, 22.8% were from Hilly region of Nepal. 71.8% were Hindus, 22.8% were Buddhist and 5.4% were Christian and Islam religions. 71.9% cases were married couples while 28.1% unmarried ones. 14 (24.56%) of poisoning were organophosphates; 8 (14%) were zinc phosphide; 4 (0.07%) were sedatives/medications. 13 (22.8%) included kerosene, sulphuric acid, mixed metal, herbal and aluminum phosphide poisonings.18 (31.57%) of ingested were unknown compounds. 21 (36.8%) of poisoning were in solid forms, 20 (35.1%) were liquid forms whereas, 16 (28.1%) were in other forms like powder, semisolid etc. 61.4% found suicidal, 21.5% were accidental and 17.1% unknown intention. The trends of poisoned patients’ incident were highest among the adult female aged populations within marital relationship and constitute high consumption of solid form of organophosphates compounds and secondly zinc phosphide with suicidal intention.