title: Acute poisonings treated in hospitals in Oslo: a one-year prospective study (I): pattern of poisoning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prospective design is mandatory to study pattern of poisoning and suicidal intention of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional multi-center study of all patients contacting health care services because of acute poisoning during one year in Oslo, irrespective of intention. Data on the adult hospitalized patients (> or = 16 years) are presented here.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 3,775 such adult contacts (3,025 episodes), there were 947 (31 %) hospitalizations; annual incidence 1.9 (per 1,000) in males and 2.1 in females. Median age was 36 years (range 16-89); 54% females. Benzodiazepines (18%), ethanol (17%), paracetamol (12%), opioids (7%), and gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) (7%) were most frequently taken. Patients stated suicidal intention in 29% of the admissions; physicians in 10%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Benzodiazepines and ethanol were the most common agents, but newer illicit drugs were frequent, especially GHB. Males often took ethanol and drugs of abuse; females often used prescription drugs with suicidal intention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acute Medicine, Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. kehovda@yahoo.no
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hovda
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bjornaas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skog
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Opdahl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drottning
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekeberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000506:poisoning; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000506:poisoning; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000506:poisoning; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000506:poisoning; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C111420:4-hydroxybutyric acid; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000431:Ethanol