"Late presenters" after paracetamol self poisoning.

The popularity of paracetamol as a drug for self poisoning has increased dramatically since the early 1980s ; nowadays almost 50% of episodes of self poisoning presenting to hospital involve the ingestion of paracetamol or paracetamol containing drugs. It is estimated that about 70 000 episodes of paracetamol self poisoning occur each year in Britain. Although serious morbidity and deaths are rare, 7 these usually result from late presentation, which reduces the eVectiveness of available antidotes. 9 The epidemiology of paracetamol self poisoning has not previously been described in detail in relation to recorded delays in presentation for treatment. We studied, retrospectively, all episodes of paracetamol self poisoning occurring at either of the two acute hospital units in Nottingham during the first six months of 1996. These included patients seen only in the accident and emergency department, as well as those admitted for inpatient care.