Characteristics and costs in adults with acute poisoning admitted to the emergency department of a university hospital in Belgium.

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the characteristics of all acute poisoning admissions among adult emergency department (ED) patients, to identify factors associated with admission and to calculate direct medical cost.

Methods: Data of 2017 (1st January to 31st December) were collected and analyzed retrospectively using patients' medical records and hospital invoices. Factors associated with type of hospitalization were identified using appropriate statistics.

Belgian Poison Centre impact on healthcare expenses of unintentional poisonings: a cost-benefit analysis.

Objectives: This study evaluates the impact of the Belgian Poison Centre (BPC) on national healthcare expenses for calls from the public for unintentional poisonings.

Methods: The probability of either calling the BPC, consulting a general practitioner (GP) or consulting an emergency department (ED) was examined in a telephone survey (February-March 2016). Callers were asked what they would have done in case of unavailability of the BPC.

Abrupt awakening phenomenon associated with gamma-hydroxybutyrate use: a case series.

Case reports mention a sudden awakening from GHB-associated coma but do not specify its time course. The aim of the present case series was to investigate the time course of the awakening from GHB intoxication and the relationship to plasma concentrations of GHB and the presence of other drugs. Unconscious (GCS View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Three cases of substitution errors leading to hyoscine hydrobromide overdose.

We report three patients with anticholinergic poisoning caused by the substitution of hyoscine hydrobromide for hyoscine butylbromide in preparations compounded by two different pharmacists. The patients took the preparations for gastrointes tinal discomfort and presented with altered mental status tachycardia, facial flushing, dilated pupils, and dry skin shortly after the ingestion. In one patient the intoxication was initially not recognized and he was treated as suffering from an acute cerebrovascular accident.

Medical problems related to recreational drug use at nocturnal dance parties.

During 'I love techno' (edition 2001), an indoor rave party attended by 37 000 people, data about medical problems (especially drug-related problems) were collected. To place these data in a wider perspective, a similar registration was done during 'De Nacht', a traditional New Year's Eve dance party held at the same location and attended by 12 000 people. Furthermore, a prospective study on the time course of the level of consciousness (Glasgow Coma Score) and blood concentrations of illicit drugs, especially gamma-hydroxybutyrate was set up.

Tolerance to the hypnotic and electroencephalographic effect of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in the rat: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects.

Tolerance to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has been suggested in illicit users and has been described for the hypnotic effect in the rat. The aim of this study was to investigate whether tolerance is also observed for the EEG effect, and whether the EEG can give insight into the pharmacodynamic aspects of GHB tolerance. In three series of experiments, rats were pre-treated with either the GHB precursor gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) or saline intraperitoneally twice daily.

How to modify the risk-taking behaviour of emergency medical services drivers?

High speed and an aggressive style of driving are major risk factors for serious traffic accidents. Consequently, frontline emergency medical services vehicles have an increased collision risk. We report on two studies designed to modify the risk-taking behaviour of emergency medical services drivers.

How do Belgian mobile intensive care units deal with cardiovascular emergencies?

Objectives: To assess the availability and use of diagnostic tools, therapeutic equipment and drugs for the prehospital treatment of acute coronary syndromes, cardiopulmonary arrest and other cardiovascular emergencies in Belgian physician-staffed and hospital-based mobile intensive care units.

Methods: In April 2001, a questionnaire was sent to all Belgian mobile intensive care unit centres.

Results: The response rate was 90%.

Characterization of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction between gamma-hydroxybutyrate and ethanol in the rat.

It has been reported that ethanol enhances the hypnotic effect of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). In order to clarify the nature of this interaction we studied the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of combinations of GHB and ethanol in rats. Intraperitoneal injections of the GHB precursor gamma-butyrolactone (300 mg/kg) together with ethanol (3000 mg/kg) (n = 4) resulted in a longer "sleeping time" than the sum of the individual times (n = 8).

The influence of endotoxemia on the pharmacokinetics and the electroencephalographic effect of propofol in the rat.

Endotoxemia decreases the dose requirement for anesthetics but no data are available for propofol. A rat model was used in which the influence of endotoxin administration on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of propofol was investigated. Chronically instrumented rats were randomly allocated to either a control (n = 9) or an endotoxin (n = 9) group.

Influence of hypovolemia on the pharmacokinetics and electroencephalographic effect of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in the rat.

Background: Hypovolemia alters the effect of propofol in the rat by influencing the pharmacokinetics and the end organ sensitivity. We now studied the effect of hypovolemia on the anesthetic gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) because in contrast with propofol it increases blood pressure.

Methods: Thirty-two rats were randomly assigned to undergo moderate hypovolemia or a control procedure.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic considerations when treating patients with sepsis and septic shock.

Sepsis and septic shock are accompanied by profound changes in the organism that may alter both the pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of drugs. This review elaborates on the mechanisms by which sepsis-induced pathophysiological changes may influence pharmacological processes. Drug absorption following intramuscular, subcutaneous, transdermal and oral administration may be reduced due to a decreased perfusion of muscles, skin and splanchnic organs.

Equivalence of the standard monophasic waveform shocks delivered by automated external defibrillators?

Objective: To study whether two different types of monophasic waveform shocks (i.e. monophasic damped sinusoidal [MDS] and monophasic truncated exponential [MTE] waveform shocks) are of equivalent efficacy.