Risk Management in First Aid for Acute Drug Intoxication

Andrea Piccioni, Sara Cicchinelli, Luisa Saviano, Emanuele Gilardi, Christian Zanza, Mattia Brigida, Gianluca Tullo, Gianpietro Volonnino, Marcello Covino, Francesco Franceschi and Raffaele La Russa
Additional contact information
Andrea Piccioni: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Sara Cicchinelli: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Luisa Saviano: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Emanuele Gilardi: Emergency-Admission Department, Biomedical Campus, 00128 Rome, Italy
Christian Zanza: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, Pietro and Michele Ferrero Hospital, 12051 Verduno, Italy
Mattia Brigida: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Gianluca Tullo: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Gianpietro Volonnino: Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy
Marcello Covino: Emergency Medicine Department, University Polyclinic Foundation A. Gemelli, IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Hospitalization and Treatment), 00168 Rome, Italy
Francesco Franceschi: Emergency Medicine Department, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy
Raffaele La Russa: Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Drug abuse (cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs) is an increasing phenomenon, especially in the younger population, thus leading to more cases of intoxication requiring evaluation in the emergency department and subsequent hospitalization. In 2017, 34.2% of students reported having used an illegal psychoactive substance in their lifetime, while 26% reported having done so over the past year. We made a review about the effectiveness of the role of the temporary observation unit in the emergency department to improve management of acute drugs intoxication. We checked medical literature from the last 10 years (2009–2019). The following electronic databases were systematically searched: MEDLINE-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Then, a systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review standards. Intoxicated patients usually display a favorable medical course, few diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, a short stay in the hospital, and, when hospitalization is needed, semi-intensive therapy is a feasible solution; therefore, intoxicated patients are ideal candidates for a temporary observation unit. The emergency department is very important to manage intoxicated patients; however, the hospitalization of these patients is often not necessary.

Keywords: acute drugs intoxication; emergency department; risk management; medico-legal assessment; temporary observation unit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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