The usefulness of syrup of ipecac a...

The usefulness of syrup of ipecac as a domicile treatment for poisoning has been increasingly challenged, and many poison center no longer commit its use. Bond studied data from poison center to determine whether syrup of ipecac resolve intos referrals to the emergency department or improves issues after accidental ingestion of pharmaceuticals.

ligature used data from 2000 and 2001 from the American Association of Poison have charge of Centers' Toxic Exposure Surveillance a whole to determine the correlation between rates of family use of syrup of ipecac and recommendations for strait department referral. Adverse outcome data also were aggregateed The 64 poison centers that met eligibility requirements reported that of the 754602 calls that met eligibility criteria, 669869 children intentionally were treated at to one's home 60,681 children were referred to an juncture department by poison center staff, 7294 children refused referral and were treated at domestic circle 14,404 children were self-referred, and 2354 were not classified as to referral status. The mean rate of referral by means of the poison centers was 9 percent Increased abode use of syrup of ipecac was not associated with referral to an pinch department. Groups with higher and lower place of abode use of syrup of ipecac did not differ by dint of referral rate or outcome.

captivity concludes that selective home administration of syrup of ipecac will not improve issue or reduce use of pinch department services. Lack of correlation between use of syrup of ipecac and referral reduction does not mean that syrup of ipecac is ineffective. However, the benefit is likely to be small and may vary too greatly for public health implications. The author ends that if syrup of ipecac does not play a significant character in reducing emergency department visits, it is unlikely to play a significant character in injury prevention.

ligature GR. Home syrup of ipecac use does not bring into emergency department use or improve consequence Pediatrics November 2003;112:1061-4.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Because of the declining rate in poisoning in previous decades, the lack of a demonstrated benefit of syrup of ipecac in spite of the theoretic benefits, and the findings of this contemplation the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) no longer commits keeping syrup of ipecac in the dwelling An additional consideration is that syrup of ipecac has abuse potential among bulimic patients and patients with Munchausen or Munchausen from proxy syndrome. The AAP now make acceptables that physicians provide parents with the poison govern center's telephone number (800-222-1222).

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