Authors

1Montserrat Amigó Tadín, 1Joaquina Faro Colomina, 1Ángeles Ambrós Ribó, 1Dolores Alves Vieta, 1Inés Ferró Ricart, 1Pilar Mangirón Vázquez, 2Santiago Nogué Xarau

Position

¹Enfermera asistencial. Urgencias Medicina. Hospital Clínico de Barcelona. ²Médico Consultor. Unidad Toxicología Clínica. Hospital Clínico de Barcelona.

Contact address

C/ Argullós, 6. 5º 1ª. 08016 Barcelona.

Contact email: montamigo@mixmail.com

Abstract

Nowadays there is much controversy about the best method of gastrointestinal decontamination in cases of acute drug poisoning (ADP). Through quasiexperimental design, we evaluated the evolution of patients receiving treatment with either syrup of ipecac (SI) versus activated charcoal (AC). Secondary effects and the nursing working load were also investigated.

34 conscious patients who arrived at the emergency department due to ADP were included in the study; 21 received SI and 13 AC. Normally accepted oral doses of SI and AC were administered. The two groups were similar with respect to gender, type of poison, vital signs and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS).

After administration of the decontaminant, there were no significant changes either in vital signs or GCS between the two groups of patients, but those patients receiving AC had a shorter emergency department stay, fewer secondary effects and used less nursing working time.

Keywords:

acute drug poisoning; syrup of ipecac; activated charcoal; gastrointestinal decontaminationquasiexperimental design

Versión en Español

Título:

Jarabe de ipecacuana versus carbón activado en las intoxicaciones medicamentosas agudas