Download full text - amphoraproject.net

Figure 6.1: The number of illicit drugs used by poisoned patients treated in medical emergency units atthe University Medical Centre in Ljubljana in the period 2004–201180705number605040148757105741230201005852174144 42351092004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011amphetamines cocaine heroinSource: University Medical Centre LjubljanaDrug poisoning cases accounted for 0.19% of all cases treated in medical emergency units in2011, while in 2010 they accounted for 0.24% of all cases.104The actual number of drug poisoning cases in observed years is probably higher, sincepoisoning diagnoses are often incorrectly coded with ICD-10 codes and often manuallyrecorded incorrectly or incompletely in the book of examined patients.We could determine the actual number of drug poisoning cases only if we reviewed medicalrecords of all patients examined in emergency units as well as medical records ofhospitalized patients, as sometimes poisoning is not diagnosed before a patient is intreatment in the hospital. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to carry out such anextensive review of medical records of all patients referred to medical emergency units; tothis end, the Slovenian Register of Intoxications was established in 2001, which is kept inaccordance with the Rules on Reporting, Collecting and Arranging of Data on Poisonings inSlovenia (Official Gazette RS, No. 38/2000). According to the mentioned Rules, all naturaland legal persons engaged in healthcare activities are required to regularly report onpoisoning cases, including cases of poisoning with illicit drugs, to the Poison Control Centreat the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana using the “Poisoning Report Form”, which waspublished in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. The form must contain thepatient’s sex, age, education level, bad habits, medical conditions, etc., and information onthe poisoning (name and quantity of the medication/poison/drug, place and circumstances ofpoisoning, clinical picture and treatment of the poisoning, etc.). Unfortunately, Slovenianmedical professionals often avoid this obligation, despite repeated encouragement andwarnings.