Poisoning in patients treated during 4 years at the Metabolic Unit of the Second Internal Medicine Clinic of the Charles University Medical School in Prague
Abstract
The authors summarize their experience with intoxicated patients who were treated between 1994 and 1997 at the metabolic unit of the Medical Clinic, Second Medical Faculty Charles University, Prague. The group of intoxicated patients comprises 165 subjects, incl. 76 men and 89 women. 107 intoxications were committed with suicidal intentions, in another 27 cases intoxication was accidental, in 14 toxicomania was involved and 17 patients were chronic alcohol addicts.
From the total number 57 patients suffered from serious psychiatric disease of the type of psychosis, but only 22 patients had a psychiatric case-history. In 46 instances suicide was a demonstrative deed or hysterical reaction to partnership conflicts.
In this group women predominate over men. The group comprises 14 toxicomaniacs, incl. 9 dependent on hard drugs.
The patients were most frequently intoxicated with alcohol which they took either alone or combined with medicaments. 56 of the patients consumed ethyl alcohol. The next most frequently used intoxicating substance is flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), which was taken by 48 subjects.
In 113 cases medium severe intoxications were involved, 31 were mild and 21 intoxications were severe.