Perfil das intoxicações agudas ocorridas em uma cidade do centro-oeste de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Poisoning is considered a topic of great interest in public health. This study aims at understanding the profile of poisonings caused by exogenous substances in patients attended in Unidades de Pronto Atendimento (Emergency Care Units)_in a city located in the Midwest of Minas Gerais, aiming at analyzing the leading causes of poisoning in this unit, which drug types caused more poisonings and to identify the most affected groups with respect to gender and age. This is a quantitative retrospective and descriptive analysis, which used data from medical records of intoxicated patients treated from September 2013 to March 2015. 188 cases of acute poisoning were registered. The largest number of cases occurred in the age group of 20-30 years. The female sex was the most intoxicated and the main responsible substances for the poisonings were medicines (64.90%) followed by pesticides and drugs (marijuana, cocaine and crack). Benzodiazepines was the main class of drugs responsible for poisoning. This study helped to identify the most prevalent poisonings and the main procedures and antidotes used in the detoxification process. It enabled the development of a protocol for faster and safer decision-making process towards the intoxicated patient.