Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, and outcomes of acute poisoning in adult patients hospitalized and treated in our hospital's intensive care unit (ICU). In this single-center observational retrospective study, 283 patients over the age of 16 who presented to the emergency department with acute drug poisoning and were admitted to the ICU over a 5-year period were included, and data were collected from the patients' medical records. The demographic characteristics of the patients, causes of poisoning, clinical parameters, length of stay in the ICU, treatment methods, and prognoses were recorded. Our study included a higher proportion of female patients, and the majority of cases were suicidal and involved younger patients. The most frequent cause of acute poisoning was medications, primarily antidepressants and antipsychotics. The second most frequent cause was alcohol and addictive substances. While most patients were successfully treated and discharged within 48 hours, those requiring further intervention had a significantly higher mortality rate. These findings highlight the importance of various preventive and clinical management strategies. Acute poisoning remains an important cause of ICU admission, particularly among younger patients and females with suicidal intent. Early recognition, appropriate intervention, and preventive strategies may contribute to improved clinical outcomes and reduced mortality.

Key words: Suicide, intensive care unit, prognosis