Jan. 26, 2023 | More than 87,000 Americans will die this year due to unintentional poisoning, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Death rates from drug overdose and other forms of accidental poisoning among young adults more than tripled between 1999 and 2014, rising from 3.8 deaths per 100,000 to 12.8 deaths per 100,000. Almost 3,000 young adults died as a result of accidental poisoning in 2014, accounting for 15 percent of all young adult deaths. In 2020, the nation’s 55 poison control centers received calls about more than two million cases of human poison exposures. That translates into one poison exposure reported every 15 seconds. Almost half of those exposures involved adults, with the next largest group being children under the age of 6. Cosmetics and personal care products were the most common causes of pediatric exposures while pain medications accounted for the most adult cases.

Jan. 26, 2023 | You are afraid that you, a friend or a family member may have accidentally been exposed to a poisonous substance. What do you do next? Your first step is to call the Arkansas Poison Center at UAMS, 1-800-222-1222. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, manned by pharmacists and registered nurses specially trained in toxicology. The staff of the Arkansas Poison Center will be able to provide you with treatment recommendations about specific kinds of poison exposure, from ingestions and insect bits or stings to bad reactions to any foods or drugs. If you are wanting more information about preventing potentially fatal poisonings in your home, school or work place, you can call the Arkansas Poison Center’s administrative line at (501) 686-6161 or visit their website, arpoisoncenter.org. Special materials aimed at helping the public avoid exposure to poisonous materials can be ordered free of charge at the website.

Jan. 26, 2023 | A poison is any substance that is harmful to your body, whether it’s swallowed, inhaled, injected or absorbed through the skin. Any substance, if taken in an abnormal amount, can be considered a poison. They can range from prescription or over-the-counter drugs taken in doses that are too high, overdoses of illicit drugs and carbon monoxide from gas appliances to household products and pesticides. Even metals such as lead and mercury and some indoor and outdoor plants can be potentially hazardous to humans or pets. The effects of poisoning range from short-term illness to brain damage, coma, and death. Young children, because of curiosity and a tendency to explore, are particularly vulnerable to accidental poisoning in the home, as are older people, often due to confusion about their drugs. Also vulnerable to accidental poisoning are hospitalized people, by drug errors, and industrial workers, through exposure to toxic chemicals.

Jan. 26, 2023 | The symptoms caused by poisoning depend on the poison, the amount taken, and the age and underlying health of the person who takes it. Some poisons cause problems only with prolonged exposure or repeated ingestion of large amounts. Other poisons are so potent that just a drop on the skin can cause severe symptoms. Some poisons cause symptoms within seconds, whereas others cause symptoms only after hours, days, or even years. Ingested and absorbed toxins generally cause body wide symptoms, often because they deprive the body’s cells of oxygen or activate or block enzymes and receptors. The symptoms may include changes in consciousness, body temperature, heart rate, and breathing and many others, depending on the organs affected. Skin contact with toxins can cause various symptoms, for example, rashes, pain, and blistering. Eye contact with toxins may injure the eye, causing eye pain, redness and loss of vision.

Jan. 26, 2023 | Widespread use of child-resistant containers with safety caps in the U.S. has greatly reduced the number of poisoning deaths in children younger than age 5. To prevent accidental poisoning, drugs and other potentially dangerous substances should be kept in their original containers and the containers kept where children cannot get them. Toxic substances, such as insecticides and cleaning agents, should not be put in drink bottles or cups, even briefly. Drugs, particularly opioids, and other potentially dangerous substances should be stored in cabinets that are locked and out of the reach of children. Expired drugs should be disposed of by mixing them with cat litter or some other substance that is not tempting and putting them in a trash container that is inaccessible to children. People can also call a local pharmacy for advice on how to properly dispose of drugs. All labels should be read before taking or giving any drugs or using household products.