BACKGROUND Attempted suicide by intentional drug overdose is an understudied subject in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country where suicide or attempted suicide is strictly prohibited. Despite the strong religious and constitutional sanctions against suicide, cases of intentional drug overdose occasionally occur. Our study represents the first attempt to better understand and charact...

Severe cardiac and neurologic toxicities of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) overdose have been reported since the introduction of TCAs in 1950s. Despite the decreased numbers of TCA overdoses, the mortality and morbidity rates of TCA overdose have remained constantly high. Clinical manifestations of TCA overdose are characterized by unconsciousness and specific electrocardiography (ECG) abnormal...

Two patients with severe thrombocytopenia after paracetamol overdose are described. The platelet count was lowest two days after the overdose. Neither leucopenia nor anaemia occurred.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) may have dangerous cardiac effects in overdose. ECG is useful as both a screening tool for tricyclic antidepressant exposure and as a prognostic indicator. TCA overdose may produce various ECG changes. We report a case of Dothiepin overdose resulting in Brugada like pattern including RBBB which resolved spontaneously.

Background: Tramadol overdose is relatively common in Iran. A series of tramadol poisoned patients with paresthesia and decreased muscle strength are described. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, all referred cases to Mashhad Medical Toxicology Center with suspected tramadol poisoning between 1st July 2010 and 1st September 2012 were included. Patients with mixed overdose, hist...

BACKGROUND Abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid analgesics, has become a major source of injury mortality and morbidity in the United States. To prevent the diversion and misuse of controlled substances, many states have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). This study assessed the impact of state PDMPs on drug overdose mortality. METHODS We analyzed demograph...

BACKGROUND As physicians have increased opioid prescribing, overdose deaths from pharmaceutical opioids have substantially increased in the United States. Naloxone hydrochloride (naloxone), an opioid antagonist, is the standard of care for treatment of opioid induced respiratory depression. Since 1996, community-based programs have offered overdose prevention education and distributed naloxone ...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the nationwide epidemiology of the annual rate, causative substance, and clinical course of overdose-related admission. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of overdose episodes from the period prior to hospitalization for drug poisoning until discharge to home. METHODS We assessed all cases of admission due to overdose (21,663 episodes) in Japan from October...

OBJECTIVES Overdoses account for a quarter of all suicides in England. The number of people who survive the immediate effects of their overdose long enough to reach medical attention, but who subsequently die in hospital is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of overdose suicides dying in hospital and describe their sociodemographic characteristics. METHOD Cross sec...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Prescription opioid overdose is a significant public health problem. Interventions to prevent overdose risk behaviors among high-risk patients are lacking. This study examined the impact of a motivational intervention to reduce opioid misuse and overdose risk behaviors. METHODS This study was a pilot randomized controlled trial set in a single emergency department (ED) in ...