Poisoning in the elderly. An increasing problem for health care providers.
Crises related to older persons such as failing health, death of a spouse, and retirement may all be contributing factors responsible for increasing numbers of poisonings reported annually in the United States. A one-year retrospective analysis of poison exposures of persons 60 years of age and older revealed 75.2% were due to accidental circumstances compared to 87.4% of the total accidental cases. Intentional poisoning in the elderly was 20.6% contrasted to 11.3%. Adverse reactions to various products and drugs accounted for 2.0% in older persons as compared to 0.6% of total adverse reactions. Route of exposure in elderly poisonings contrasted by the total percent shows ingestion 71.4% versus 80.3%, inhalation 14.8% versus 5.2%, ocular contamination 5.3% versus 6.8%, and dermal exposure 5.2% versus 5.9%. Females aged 60 and over accounted for 63.4% as opposed to 46.7% of total female poisonings. Elderly males were 36.4% compared to 51.3% total males. Home management occurred in 39.1% of the elderly exposures as compared to 68.9% total poisonings managed at home. Medical intervention was needed in 56.0% of these older persons versus 29.8% of the total referred to health care facilities. Elderly admissions of 50.7% assimilates to 49.6% of total. Health care professionals must be cognizant of problems associated with poisoning in the elderly in order to develop strategies for prevention solutions.
Pittsburgh Poison Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
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Dean
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Krenzelok
D000368:Aged; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological