Les Cas D’Intoxications Aigues Hospitalises A L’Institut De Medecine De Luniversite De Liege (Hopital De Baviere), Au Cours Des Quatre Dernieres Annees*

Abstract

Six hundred forty-seven cases of acute voluntary and acidental poisoning and alcoholic intoxication have been reviewed. The purpose of this study was : to demonstrate the progressive rise of the voluntary poisoning frequency; to establish social and individual factors which might influence their frequency; to determine the most commonly encountered drugs or substances; to describe the intoxication symptoms and their severity in relation to the dose and chemical form of the toxic; to evaluate the efficacity of the therapy used comparing our results with those obtained by others. This study led to the following conclusions : Voluntary poisoning by means of various drugs are more frequent every year and are mostly seen in women. No conclusion about the influence of profession can be made. Barbiturate poisoning is the most frequent and serious one. Intensive and meticulous supportive care is, at present, the therapy of choice in most cases of acute poisoning. The mortality and the severe sequelae rates of acute intoxications are very low.