European Journal of Internal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 8 , Pages 585-589 , December 2005

Deliberate self-poisoning with acetaminophen: A comparison with other medications

  • Victor Novack

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, P.O. Box 151, Beer-Sheva, 84101, Israel. Tel.: +972 8 640 3431.
    • ,
  • Alan B. Jotkowitz

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • ,
  • Jorge Delgado

      Affiliations

    • Department of Gastroenterology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • ,
  • Elena Shleyfer

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • ,
  • Leonid Barski

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
    • ,
  • Avi Porath

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Received 14 April 2005 ,Revised 13 May 2005 ,Accepted 2 June 2005.

References 

  1. Watson WA, Litovitz TL, Klein-Schwartz W, Rodgers GC, Youniss J, Reid N, et al. 2003 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am J Emerg Med. 2004 (Sep);22(5):335–404
  2. Litovitz TL, Klein-Schwartz W, White S, Cobaugh DJ, Youniss J, Omslaer JC, et al. 2000 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am J Emerg Med. 2001 (Sep);19(5):337–395
  3. Camidge DR, Wood RJ, Bateman DN. The epidemiology of self-poisoning in the UK. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2003 (Dec);56(6):613–619
  4. Schiodt FV, Fedja A, Rochling FA, Casey DL, Lee WM. Acetaminophen toxicity in an urban county hospital. N Engl J Med. 1997 (Oct 16);337(16):1112–1117
  5. Atcha Z. Paracetamol related deaths in England and Wales, 1993–1997 (Office for National Statistics). Health Stat Q. 2000;1:5–9
  6. Sheen CL, Dillon JF, Bateman DN, Simpson KJ, MacDonald TM. Paracetamol-related deaths in Scotland, 1994–2000. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2002 (Oct);54(4):430–432
  7. Hawton K, Ware C, Mistry H, Hewitt J, Kingsbury S, Roberts D, et al. Paracetamol self-poisoning characteristics, prevention and harm reduction. Br J Psychiatry. 1996;168:43–48
  8. Ostapowicz G, Fontana RJ, Schiodt FV, Larson A, Davern TJ, Han SH, et al. Results of a prospective study of acute liver failure at 17 tertiary care centers in the United States. Ann Intern Med. 2002 (Dec 17);137(12):947–954
  9. Bromer MQ, Black M. Acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. Clin Liver Dis. 2003 (May);7(2):351–367
  10. Broughan TA, Soloway RD. Acetaminophen hepatoxicity. Dig Dis Sci. 2000 (Aug);45(8):1553–1558
  11. Hawton K, Ware C, Mistry H, Hewitt J, Kingsbury S, Roberts D, et al. Why patients choose paracetamol for self poisoning and their knowledge of its dangers. BMJ. 1995 (Jan 21);310(6973):164
  12. Levy M, Oren R. Paracetamol overdosage in Jerusalem. Isr J Med Sci. 1985;21:36–39
  13. Oren R, Levy M. Paracetamol overdose in Jerusalem, 1984–89. Isr J Med Sci. 1992 (Nov);28(11):795–796
  14. Lifshitz M, Gavrilov V. Deliberate self-poisoning in adolescents. Isr Med Assoc J. 2002 (Apr);4(4):252–254
  15. Hughes B, Durran A, Langford NJ, Mutimer D. Paracetamol poisoning-impact of pack size restrictions. Clin Pharm Ther. 2003 (Aug);28(4):307–310
  16. Gunnell D, Hawton K, Murray V, Garnier R, Bismuth C, Fagg J, et al. Use of paracetamol for suicide and non-fatal poisoning in the UK and France: are restrictions on availability justified?. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1997 (Apr);51(2):175–179
  17. Nachman R, Yanai O, Goldin L, Swartz M, Barak Y, Hiss J. Suicide in Israel: 1985–1997. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2002 (Nov);27(6):423–428
  18. Brok J, Buckley , Gluud C. Interventions for paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdoses. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(3):[CD003328. Review]
  19. Bond GR. The role of activated charcoal and gastric emptying in gastrointestinal decontamination: a state-of-the-art review. Ann Emerg Med. 2002 (Mar);39(3):273–286
  20. Wallace CI, Dargan PI, Jones AL. Paracetamol overdose: an evidence based flowchart to guide management. Emerg Med J. 2002 (May);19(3):202–205
  21. Hulbert DC, Bray GP, Beckett MW. The management of paracetamol poisoning by junior doctors. J Accid Emerg Med. 1995;12:66–67
  22. Rumack BH, Matthew H. Acetaminophen poisioning and toxicity. Pediatrics. 1975;55:871–876

PII: S0953-6205(05)00157-3

doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2005.06.004

European Journal of Internal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 8 , Pages 585-589 , December 2005

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution