Intentional drug overdose: Predictors of clinical course in the intensive care unit

Objective: mine the characteristics of patients admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) after intentional drug overdose. : pective chart review, descriptive. g: tern teaching hospital. ts: ience sample of 43 patients admitted to the MICU after intentional drug overdose. e measures: al and disposition of those patients who survived and were discharged from the MICU. s: -five percent of the patients survived and were discharged from the MICU: Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores ranged from 1 to 29 (mean, 8); Glascow Coma Scale scores ranged from 3 to 15 (mean, 12.5); five patients were intubated and two patients had serious electrocardiograph changes requiring pharmacologic intervention for dysrhythmia. sions: ogic findings were the best indicators of serious complications after drug overdose. Therefore, patients with a Glascow Coma Scale score of more than six, and who are not intubated, may not need admission to an intensive care unit.