Trends and Outcomes of Acute Poisoning in Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Medical Intensive Care Units: Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Acute poisoning with agrochemicals, medicines and different environmental exposures continues to be a global health problems. However, with our search for reports about acute poisoning, there was no data regarding a change in trends and outcomes of acute poisoning in Ethiopia and its districts. OBJECTIVE: This study was to determine the burden of poison-related health hazards, identify poisoning substances, and clinical outcomes of poisoning cases admitted to Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital- Medical intensive care unit (FHCSH-MICU), Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. METHODS: A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted using patient data archived from March 2019 to February 2020 at FHCSH-MICU. Collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26 and descriptive statistics such as measures of central tendency and proportions were computed. The results were reported as text narrations, figures and tables. RESULTS: A total 121 poisoned patients were identified from the patient registration log books. Among the total FHCSH-MICU cases registered, acute poisoning accounted for 17.0%. Of 121 poison cases, 118 (98.3%) were due to suicide attempts with the female to male ratio being 1.5:1. The majority, 65 (54.0%), of cases were in the range of 21–30 years age. Nearly two-thirds, 75 (62.0%), of the poisoning cases died, accounting for 21.6% of all deaths in the FHCSH-MICU. The most common poisoning substance was aluminum phosphide, 92 (76%). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Aluminum phosphide became the leading poisoning substance in the study area. Nearly two-thirds of the poisoning cases died. Hence, aluminum phosphide must be placed in secured and inaccessible places and it should be replaced by less poisonous rodenticides. Health education and awareness creation about this lethal toxin are strongly advisable.