Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Characteristics of medication overdose presentations to the ED: how do they differ from illicit drug overdose and self-harm cases?

    160459_39007_PUB-HEA-NDR-CP-62220-1.pdf (80.20Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Buykx, P.
    Dietze, P.
    Ritter, A.
    Loxley, Wendy
    Date
    2010
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Buykx, Penny and Dietze, Paul and Ritter, Alison and Loxley, Wendy. 2010. Characteristics of medication overdose presentations to the ED: how do they differ from illicit drug overdose and self-harm cases? Emergency Medicine Journal. 27 (7): pp. 499-503.
    Source Title
    Emergency Medicine Journal
    DOI
    10.1136/emj.2009.075549
    ISSN
    14720205
    School
    National Drug Research Institute (Research Institute)
    Remarks

    First published as cited above © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17840
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Background Medication overdose accounts for >80% of hospital presentations for self-harm. Previous research has identified typical characteristics of medication overdose cases; however, these cases have not been well differentiated from other similar presentations, namely (1) illicit drug overdose and (2) self-harm by means other than overdose. Method A 12-month audit of medication overdose cases (both intentional and unintentional) attending the emergency department (ED) of a major metropolitan public hospital in Melbourne, Australia was conducted. Comparison was made with patients attending for illicit drug overdose or for self-harm by means other than overdose.Results Medication overdose cases (n=453) showed a broadly comparable profile with those found in earlier studies (predominantly female gender, aged in their 30s and referred for psychosocial assessment). A similar though not identical profile was noted for self-harm cases (n=545). In contrast, patients attending for illicit drug overdose (n=409) could be characterised as male, in their 20s and not referred for psychosocial assessment. Illicit drug overdose cases were more likely than either the medication overdose or self-harm cases to be triaged in the most urgent category (19.3, 3.8 and 3.9% respectively), suggesting a high level of acuity in this group. However, the illicit drug overdose group on average spent less time in the ED than medication overdose patients, and were less likely to require hospital admission. Conclusion On both demographic and treatment variables, patients attending the ED following a medication overdose more closely resemble those attending for self-harm by means other than overdose than those attending for illicit drug overdose.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • The relationship between non-fatal overdose of pharmaceutical medications, suicidality and depression
      Buykx, Penelope (2007)
      This thesis examines three main themes; depression, suicidality, and non-fatal overdose involving pharmaceutical and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. At any given time depression affects approximately one in every ...
    • Prescribed Dose of Opioids and Overdose: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Unintentional Prescription Opioid Overdose
      Adewumi, A.; Hollingworth, S.; Maravilla, J.; Connor, J.; Alati, Rosa (2018)
      © 2018, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature. Background: The rate of an unintentional drug overdose involving prescription opioids continues to rise. An understanding of the threshold dose and ...
    • Patients Who Attend the Emergency Department Following Medication Overdose: Self-reported Mental Health History and Intended Outcomes of Overdose
      Buykx, P.; Ritter, A.; Loxley, Wendy; Dietze, P. (2011)
      Abstract Medication overdose is a common method of non-fatal self-harm. Previousstudies have established which mental health disorders are commonly associated with thebehaviour (affective, substance use, anxiety and ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.