The Evaluation of Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department with Non-Benzodiazepine Antiepileptic Drug Poisoning

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to determine the demographics, clinical findings and symptoms of the admissions of non-benzediazepine antiepileptic drugs patients (NBDAED) admitted to the University hospital Emergency Department (ED). Material and Methods: The exposures above 18 years between 01.01.2006-01.01.2010 were included in this study. We evaluated the age, sex, kind of drug ingested, kind of poisoning, clinical finding and symptoms, and the results of the exposures to NBDAED. Results: The exposures to NBDAED composed 3.2% of all the poisonings. 92.2% of the patients had ingested drugs intentionally, 67.1% were between 18-29 years and 64.1% were females. Patients ingested most frequently old generation drugs (81.3%); the most frequently ingested drugs were carbamezapine (34.4%) and valproic acid (29.7%); 72% of the patients ingested their own drugs and most frequently 39% of them admitted to ED within the first 2 hours. More clinical findings and symptoms developed in toxic dose ingestions and the mean hospital stay duration was longer than non-toxic dose ingestions. Conclusion: Intentional drug exposures are at a high prevalence in NBDAED ingestions. It is mostly seen in the young adult group and females. The most frequently ingested drugs are the old generation drugs and the most frequently used drugs are carbamazepine and valproic acid.