This study demonstrates that transfer of appropriate patients to a high dependency area from intensive care following cardiac surgery is safe. It allows intensive care beds to be used by more than one patient each day and allows significant cost savings by reducing the nursing ratio per patient.

Objective: To assess the socio-demographic profile and outcomes in the patients with poisoning admitted to the emergency wards of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted for a period of six months in the emergency wards of a tertiary care hospital. The demographic data, hospital admission variables and outcomes were collected from various sources and documented. Cluster analysis was used to find the interaction between the socio-demographic and hospital admission variables in association with outcomes of poisoning.Results: A total of 133 patients were admitted with acute poisoning. The mean age was 27.76±15.5%. Females (51.1%) were dominant over males (48.8%). Incidents of poisoning were predominant in married (49.6%), literates (41.35%), abiding in urban region (86.4%) and belonging to upper lower class (37.6%). The poisonings were intentional (69.17%) occurring through oral route (81.2%) at home (82%). Reason for poisoning was the most significant (1.00*) predictor followed by route of poisoning. Patients with mild symptoms were 85.71% 10.5% moderate and severe symptoms 3.75%. Majority of the victims recovered (82.71%) whilst 4.51% died.Conclusion: Poisoning patterns vary with socio-demographic and socio-economic status, which is a prevalent social and economic issue in developing countries. Depression acts as a slow poison and is common among younger age groups leading to increased cases of intentional poisoning, thereby indicating a necessity for appropriate psychiatric counselling, medical and peer management strategies to identify the individuals in need that can reduce the risk of next attempt.

Objective: Poisoning is a growing health-care burden in developing countries like India. Predicting the nature of the intention behind poisoning and type of poisoning agent involved will help in facilitating appropriate treatment measures, hence, improving the patient’s quality of life.Methods: The prospective, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care multispecialty hospital for 6 months from November 2016 to April 2017 and involved a total of 133 patients. Treatment and outcomes of the patients were collected, documented in a data collection form. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were applied.Results: The mean age of the study participants was 27.76±15.5 with predominance seen in age groups of <30 years (59.3%), females (52.6%), and married (49.6%). Intentional poisoning (69.1%) through oral ingestion (81.2%) of medications (51.6%) in solid forms (60.2%) was predominant. Patients presenting with systemic manifestations (70.4%) arrived in a time duration >1 h (66.2%), received first aid (62.4%), and supportive care (52.7%). Higher ingestion of physical forms was significantly observed in both single (OR: 4.5) and married (OR: 3). The outcomes were correlated with poison severity score and patients with mild symptoms recovered (60.9%).Conclusion: The use of medicines for intentional poisoning continues to be rampant in younger age groups and married individuals. Educational programs with more accentuation on the data regarding toxic substances along with preventive measures are to be implemented to make mindfulness among the overall population.

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