Abstract

This study aimed to retrospectively analyze forensic cases admitted to the Emergency Department of Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine with intoxication. Forensic cases evaluated as poisoning cases in the Emergency Department of Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine were evaluated within the scope of the guideline for forensic evaluation of injury crimes defined in the Turkish Penal Code. Between the dates of the study, 2048 forensic reports were issued. It was determined that 6.54% (n=134) of these reports were poisoning cases. It was determined that 65 (48.5%) of the poisoning cases were men and 69 (51.5%) were women. The mean age of poisoning cases was 40.2 years. The most common age range was 18-44 years (67.9%; n=91). It was found that the most common substance (31.3%) was antidepressant-antipsychotic group drugs. It was determined that 99 cases (73.9%) were at the toxic level and 29 cases (21.6%) were at the lethal level. It was determined that the blood calcium value was lower than 8.8 in 29 cases (21.6%) and the blood calcium value was higher than 10.6 in 2 cases (1.5%). In cases of poisoning, when the clinical conditions of the cases are evaluated in the light of life-threatening criteria, unnecessary 112 referrals of patients to higher centers will be reduced, the density of the upper centers will not increase, and the occupancy of the emergency department bed for 24 or 48 hours will be prevented. In addition, errors in forensic reports will be prevented.

Key words: Emergency Department, Forensic Case, Poisoning