PURPOSE:
The Korean
government approved selected
nonprescription drugs (
Over-The-Counter drug;
OTC drug) to be distributed in convenience stores from 15. Nov. 2012. This study examined the changes in the
incidence and the clinical outcome of acute
pharmaceutical drug poisoning after the deregulation of
OTC drug sales.
METHODS:
This study analyzed the data of
Emergency Department based
Injury In-depth
Injury Surveillance (EDIIS),
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2011 to 2014. The following items were examined age,
gender,
intention, alcohol
association,
pharmaceutical drugs resulting acute
poisoning, the clinical outcomes in
emergency department, and the admission rate of
intensive care unit (ICU). This is a retrospective cross section
observational study.
RESULTS:
A total of 10,162
patients were subject to
pharmaceutical drug poisoning. Acute
poisoning by
acetaminophen and other
drugs were 1,015 (10.0%) and 9,147 (90.0%)
patients, respectively. After the deregulation of
OTC drug sales, acute
poisoning by other
drugs increased from 4,385 to 4,762
patients but acute
poisoning by
acetaminophen decreased from 538 to 477
patients (p < 0.05). The rate of admission of
acetaminophen poisoning increased from 36.1% (194/538) to 46.8% (223/477). The admission rate to the ICU by
acetaminophen poisoning increased from 4.6% (25/538) to 11.3% (54/477) after the deregulation of
OTC drug sales (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION:
Since the deregulation of
OTC drugs sales,
pharmaceutical drug poisoning has increased but
acetaminophen poisoning has decreased. The rate of
hospitalization and ICU admission by
pharmaceutical drug poisoning with or without
acetaminophen has also increased.