Poisoning trends at a tertiary hospital: A retrospective analysis

Poison is defined as any substance which when administered in living body through any route (Inhalation, Ingestion, surface or absorption) will produce ill-health or death by its action which is due to its physical chemical or physiological properties. Management at the emergency department is of utmost importance in all cases of poisoning. The social, economical and regional landscape differs from place to place, thus an in hospital protocol for management of alleged cases of poisoning are essential. Punjab being an agrarian society with its major share of population working in fields has access to the large number of pesticides, herbicides and weedicides. The above factor when compounded by financial straits and high level of addictions make them prone to be a victim of poisoning, both suicidal and homicidal. Seventy one cases of alleged intake of poisonous substances were reported at Emergency Department of Rajindra Hospital/Government Medical College, Patiala. Diagnosis of the specific poisoning was made using clinical features and poison containers obtained from the scene. The major poisoning included 20 cases (28.16%) of aluminium phosphide, 18 (25.35%) cases of organophosphorus (OP) poisoning, 10 (14.08%) cases of zinc phosphide poisoning, 8 (11.26%) cases of organochlorine poisoning. In hospital mortality rate was 9.85%.