title: Study of poisoning cases in a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poisoning is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Nepal and also a major public health problem worldwide. A thorough review of the risk factors helps to decrease the incidence and mortality. The study evaluates the cases admitted in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre, Various parameters like age, sex, marital status, time of ingestion, month of occurrence, agent responsible for incidence; type of poisoning, psychosocial problem, outcome and duration of treatment are analyzed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study are to determine the pattern and severity of poisoning cases admitted to Dhulikhel Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital based study was carried out in the patient admitted to Dhulikhel Hospital with the history of poisoning for the period of one year between April 2011 to March 2012. Various parameters were analyzed and compared with other study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 137 cases during the one year duration and maximum case belonged to second and third decade of life. Most common manner of poisoning was suicidal and the incidence was mainly during evening hours. Organophosphorus was the most commonly abused substance. Most of the cases had arrived hospital after one hour of exposure and duration of hospital stay in many cases were less than four days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these findings preventive measures like precaution taken at various levels, restriction in free sale of the poisons and promoting Poison Information Centers along with public awareness and proper psychosocial management to decrease the incidence and mortality in poisoning cases can be suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Kathamndu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre, Nepal.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Karki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Risal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D062072:Patient Acuity; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult