Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Activated charcoal is the most frequently and widely used oral decontaminating agent in emergency departments (EDs). However, there is some debate about its clinical benefits and risks. In Korea, activated charcoal with sorbitol was unavailable as of the mid-2015, and our hospital had been unable to use it from September 2015. This study examined the differences of clinical features and outcomes of patients during the periods charcoal was and was not available.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who had visited an urban tertiary academic ED for oral drug poisoning between January 2013 and January 2017.

Results

For the charcoal-available period, 413 patients were identified and for the charcoal-unavailable period,

SUBMITTER: Park S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6192078 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature