Accidental poisoning is just as likely to happen with household products as it is with medicines. Each year more than 100,000 patients are admitted. It is also implicated in about 2 per cent of all injury deaths in children in developed countries and about 5 per cent in developing countries.
Most cases are either intentional overdose in adults or accidental ingestion in children.
Drugs Accidental drug overdose is fairly common, although severe cases are rare. In children the most serious accidental poisoning occurs with iron, methadone and tricyclic antidepressants and death may result. Paracetamol One of the most common problems is inadvertent overdosage with paracetamol, either by increased dosing or by taking it with a combination product also containing paracetamol. Since paracetamol overdose may not cause any features of toxicity in the early stages, the individual may not realise a toxic dose has been taken until it is too late for effective treatment. The efficacy of antidotal therapy declines with time post-ingestion.