Top 10 Must Know Facts on Poisoning

What is Poisoning?

Poisoning is an avoidable public health problem that can happen to anyone, at any time or any place. If not addressed at the right time it can cause grievous harm and even death. Poisoning is much more widespread than what most people think.

Poisons are substances which cause harmful effects in an organism depending on the amount consumed. These effects can range in severity from short-term illnesses to brain damage, coma and death. There are different routes by which a person can be exposed to poisons – ingestion through the mouth, inhalation through the nose or mouth, through the eyes (ocular), through the skin (dermal) or through stings or bites (parenteral) (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Poisoning: First aid

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Poisons can be- (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Types of Common and Dangerous Poisons

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• Overdose of prescription, over-the-counter medicines and illegal drugs
• Carbon monoxide from gas appliances
• Household products, such as laundry powder or furniture polish
• Pesticides
• Indoor or outdoor plants
• Metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury

To prevent poisoning household products must be stored exactly as their labels say and dangerous products must be placed where children cannot get to them. Treatment for poisoning depends on the type of poison (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Prevention Tips

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The National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) in the Department of Pharmacology of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) provides round-the-clock telephonic consultation on poison management.

The number to call is toll-free – 1800 116 117 and can be accessed 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 a year.

Other numbers that can be called are: Tel No.- 26589391 , 26593677

Read Some of the Facts on Poisoning

Statistics on Poisoning

1. In India, poisoning accounts for about 30% of suicides.
2. Insecticides, rodenticides, snakebites, alcohols, sedative hypnotics, opioids, and pain medication are some of most common causes of poisoning (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   Introduction to Poisoning; A Systematic Review

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   ).

3. In 2021, the U.S Poison control center, provided telephonic help for nearly 2.08 million poison exposure cases (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   National Poison Control Call Statistics, 2021
   

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   ).

4. At least 1 poison exposure case is reported every 15 seconds (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   National Poison Control Call Statistics, 2021
   

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   ).

5. In 2021, nearly 75.5% unintentional, 19.3% intentional and 3.1% adverse poisoning cases were reported (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   National Poison Control Call Statistics, 2021
   

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   ).

6. 43% nearly half of the poison exposure were reported by children under the age of 6 years old, followed by adults (42%) and then teens at about 8% (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   Poison Statistics National Data 2019

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   ).

7. The highest incidence rate of about 8,243 and 7903 exposures/100,000 children were reported by 1 and 2 year old children (7^✔ ✔Trusted Source
   The patterns of children poisoning cases in community teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
   

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   ).

8. Adults aged 50 years or older reported a fewer than 300 exposures/100 population.
9. Nearly 200 people in US die annually due to unintentional, non fire related carbon mono-oxide poisoning, this type poisoning is highest among men at the age of 65 and older (8^✔ ✔Trusted Source
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   Carbon monoxide poisoning

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   ).

Prevention of Poisoning

10. Poisoning, in children, can be prevented to a large extent by keeping drugs and harmful substances out of their reach (9^✔ ✔Trusted Source
    Poisoning

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    ).