Abstract

Poisoning is a critical emergency requiring rapid recognition and treatment. This study retrospectively examined poisoning cases in the emergency department, identifying types, management strategies, and patient outcomes across age groups to improve care, reduce complications, and lower mortality. This retrospective, observational study included 1,000 patients admitted to the emergency department of Esenyurt Necmi Kadıoğlu State Hospital due to poisoning from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024. The data were collected from the hospital’s information management system and included demographic data, the cause of poisoning, the treatment given, and the clinical outcome. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was used for the statistical analyses and chi-square tests, t-tests, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and multivariate regression analysis were used to determine the significant associations. The study included 1,000 patients with equal gender distribution. Medication, chemical, alcohol, and carbon monoxide (CO) were the main poisoning types. Gastric lavage (35.2%) and antidotes (25.4%) were common in medication poisoning, while CO cases most often required intensive care. Complications occurred in 20% of patients, highest in chemical and CO poisoning. Mortality was 5% in CO and intensive care cases. Older age and CO poisoning were linked to longer recovery times. This study shows that age specific strategies are required for poisoning management in emergency departments. The findings also show that there is a need for early intervention in cases that need intensive care and that there is a need for tailored treatment protocols to enhance patient outcomes. The study therefore recommends standardized poisoning management protocols and improved training of healthcare professionals to address suboptimal emergency care in poisoning cases.

Key words: Poisoning, emergency department, age groups, treatment outcomes, complications, mortality