Background: Drug Information Centers (DICs) and Drug and Poison Information Centers (DPICs) in Saudi Arabia are pharmacy-based departments that provide drug information services for prescribers and or public. We sought to evaluate their current role in handling poisoning cases. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of all DICs and DPICs in Riyadh and included 17 potential respondent centers. We developed a brief questionnaire with nine questions about DICs and DPICs resources. Results: The response rate was 82%. Most responding centers provide service only during daytime hours. Three provide services on weekends, and five have staff on-call after business hours. Handling poisoning cases is not available in five centers and found to be minimal among all other centers. Conclusion: DICs and DPICs provide limited poison information services in Saudi Arabia. In accord with the current Vision 2030 reform effort, establishing comprehensive poison control center services is a necessity for the health care system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity should be considered in patients presenting to the emergency department with any acute vague manifestations after hookah smoking; furthermore, smoking in an open space does not eliminate the risk of CO toxicity. High‐flow supplemental oxygen should be provided immediately while further investigations and management options are considered.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.