PHARMACY TOXICOLOGICAL ANALYSES FOR POISONED PATIENTS AT A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SAUDI ARABIA

The pharmacist and pharmacy services roles in hospital setting were well recognized for the management of poisoned patients. Pharmacist consultation through pharmacy drug and poison information centre was very beneficial to the treating physician at accident and emergency department (AE). The inclusion of the drug toxicological analyses unit within pharmacy department services gave the chance to utilized the pharmacological background for practicing pharmacists for better handling of poisoning cases. The advantage(s) of pharmacy supervision of drug toxicological analyses unit and the role of pharmacist within such unit in teaching hospital will be determined. In this study, a survey of 1160 poisoned cases arrived to (AE) department during six months period. Body fluids samples were taken for 228 poisoned cases for analysis by utilizing the pharmacy toxicological analyses unit. The findings of the study represented the positive impact of pharmacy supervision of drug toxicological analyses unit beside the drug and poison information centre in the management of poisoned cases. The time and efforts of AE physicians were saved and appreciated by the integrated pharmacy services especially for poisoned patients attending AE in teaching hospital.