Lithium overdoses causing cardiotoxicity are uncommon and electrocardiographic changes suggesting myocardial ischemia are rare. However, some authors have specifically reported the occurrence of ischemic electrocardiography changes due to a lithium overdose. This paper describes a case where electrocardiography changes mimic inferior myocardial infarction during the course of chronic lithium tr...

This study is a preliminary analysis of the prescription behavior of residents in a teaching hospital, with respect to nephrotoxic drugs during a 2-month period. The overdose rate was 3%. Only 5.1% of the doctors were responsible for 51% of the nephrotoxic drug overdoses.

BACKGROUND Prison inmates face a ten times increased risk of experiencing a fatal drug overdose during their first 2 weeks upon release than their non-incarcerated counterparts. Naloxone, the antidote to an opioid overdose, has been shown to be feasible and effective when administered by bystanders. Given the particular risk that newly released inmates face, it is vital to assess their knowledg...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the long term effect of legislation limiting the size of packs of analgesics sold over the counter. DESIGN Before and after study. SETTING Suicides in England and Wales, data from six liver units in England and Scotland and five general hospitals in England, and UK data on sales of analgesics, between September 1993 and September 2002. DATA SOURCES Office for Nationa...

The historical patterns of opiate use show that sources and methods of access greatly influence who is at risk. Today, there is evidence that an enormous increase in the availability of prescription opiates is fuelling a rise in addiction nationally, drawing in new initiates to these drugs and changing the geography of opiate overdoses. Recent efforts at supply-based reductions in prescription ...

INTRODUCTION Emergency departments (EDs) may be high-yield venues to address opioid deaths with education on both overdose prevention and appropriate actions in a witnessed overdose. In addition, the ED has the potential to equip patients with nasal naloxone kits as part of this effort. We evaluated the feasibility of an ED-based overdose prevention program and described the overdose risk knowl...

OBJECTIVES To determine whether a serious paracetamol overdose in the medical television drama Casualty altered the incidence and nature of general hospital presentations for deliberate self poisoning. DESIGN Interrupted time series analysis of presentations for self poisoning at accident and emergency departments during three week periods before and after the broadcast. Questionnaire respons...

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the risk factors associated with the development of severe and fatal adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or intentional overdoses by patients on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). METHODS We undertook a data analysis of Health Canada's database of Adverse Drug Reactions to SSRIs from 1986 to 1996, as well as a literature review. RESULTS Among the complete ADR ...

BACKGROUND Long-term opioid therapy for chronic noncancer pain is becoming increasingly common in community practice. Concomitant with this change in practice, rates of fatal opioid overdose have increased. The extent to which overdose risks are elevated among patients receiving medically prescribed long-term opioid therapy is unknown. OBJECTIVE To estimate rates of opioid overdose and their ...

Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for opioid use disorders may be delivered at clinics or dispensed from pharmacies, however the type of delivery associated with different risks and benefits. The aim study was to investigate whether dispensing methadone buprenorphine pharmacies during adverse outcomes. Retrospective cohort using a national, linked, population-level data set Denmark. Patients inclu...