poison - University of Utahpoisoncontrol.utah.edu/newsletters/pdfs/annual... · Poison Control...

annualr e p o r t

utahpoison

control

center20

08

“I didn’t know that a

bee sting could be so

serious. It’s still hard

for me to believe, but

if my mom hadn’t

called the Utah Poison

Control Center, I

could have died.”

–Jessica

JeSSICa & Wendy’SJeSSICa: Iwasonadateplayingfrisbeegolfwithagroupoffriends.Aswewalked

bysometreesIfeltsomethingstingmyleg.Istartingjumpingupand

downandgotstungafewmoretimes.Afterafewminutes,Ibecameshort

ofbreathandmyfriendssaidIlookedpale.TheyaskedmeifIwanted

togohome.ButIwasthinkingit’sjustastupidbeesting,I’llbefine.I

didn’twanttobethisbigdramaqueenandruinmydate.Bythetimewe

finishedthelastholeIwashavingaharderandhardertimebreathing,so

wedecidedtogotothestoretogetsomeBenadryl®.Oncewegottothe

store,Iwentintothebathroomandcalledmymomforadvice.

Wendy: IgotthecallfromJessicaonmycellphoneandimmediatelyknewsomething

waswrong.Shetookalongtimetorespondtomyquestionsandherspeech

wasoff.IkeptJessicaonmymobileandcalledtheUtahPoisonControl

Centerfrommyhomephone.Iexplainedthesituationandtheywereableto

quicklyassesstheproblemeventhoughJessicawasn’texhibitingthetypical

symptomsofanallergicreaction.Theytoldmetocallanambulance.

JeSSICa: Whentheambulancearrived,theparamedicsquicklygavemeanEPI

shot,rightthereonthesidewalk.Ithoughtthatwouldbetheendofit,but

sincemybloodpressurewaslow,theywantedtotakemetothehospital

aswell.Mydaterodeinthefrontoftheambulancewithmeintheback.

Wendy: I’msogratefulthatIcouldcalltheUtahPoisonControlCenterandgetan

immediateresponseandguidanceonwhattodo.Theirrecommendations

preventedthesituationfrombecomingmuchmoreserious.IfIhadtaken

thetimetodrivethe30minutestoJessicaandthenanother20minutes

tothehospital,Jessicacouldhavestoppedbreathingorherlowblood

pressurecouldhavebeenlifethreatening.

In October 2008, the

Consumer Healthcare

Products Association

announced that its

members are voluntarily

modifying the product

labels of over-the-counter

children’s cough and

cold medicines to state

“do not use” in children

under 4 years of age. The

label will also carry a new

warning: Do not use to

sedate or make a child

sleepy. The FDA states that

“caregivers should not,

under any circumstances,

give adult medications to

children.”

FDA and CHPA Statements

October 2008

dId you KnoW?

2008 Annual Report | 1

S t o r y

tIp

Compact Fluorescent

Lights (CFLs) contain

mercury, a toxin that

can cause adverse health

effects. If a bulb breaks,

open the windows for at

least 15 minutes, shut off

central air systems, and

call the Utah Poison Control

Center for help (1-800-222-

1222). Don’t vacuum up

the debris. Follow proper

disposal guidelines:

www.epa.gov/mercury/spills

a meSSage from the

2 | 2008 Annual Report

d I r e C t o r TheUtahPoisonControlCenter(UPCC)is

proudtoprovideyouits2008AnnualReport.This

reporthighlightstheimportantworkoftheUPCC

anditsstaff.In2008,theUPCCrespondedto

nearly57,000callsforassistancewhichincluded

callsfromall29countiesinUtah.

TheUPCCisproudoftheimpactithason

thecommunity.Asoneofthefirstpoisoncenters

establishedintheUnitedStates,theUPCChas

arichhistoryofprovidinghighqualitypoison

information,clinicaltoxicologyconsultationand

poisonpreventioneducationthroughoutthestate.

TheUPCChasahighlytalentedanddedicated

staffavailablearoundtheclocktorespondto

anypoisoningemergency.Asaprogramofthe

CollegeofPharmacy,UniversityofUtah,theUPCC

staffarefamiliarwiththecriticaltoxicologyissues

inthestateofUtahandcaninterfacequicklywith

allhealthcarefacilitiesinthestatetoprovide

thebestpossiblecaretoanypoisonvictim.This

reporthighlightsthemanyactivitiesoftheUPCC

staffthroughoutthestateofUtah.

In2008,theUPCChelditsthirdupdate

conferenceforhealtheducatorsandhealth

professionals.Thisbiennialeventbringstogether

healtheducatorsandhealthprofessionalsfromaround

thestatetohearaboutimportanttopicsinpoison

prevention,educationandtreatment.Thisyear’s

conferenceattractedover50participantsstatewide.

TheUPCCisanactivememberofthepublic

healthteam.TheUPCCstaffworkwithstateand

localpublichealthworkerstoplanandrespondto

situationsthataffectthepublic’shealth.TheUPCC

isprivilegedtohaveparticipatedintheannual

FederalEmergencyManagementAgency’s(FEMA)

ChemicalStockpileEmergencyPreparedness

Programexercisesince1991.Thisyear’sFEMAreport

states“TheUPCCisveryprofessionallyrunwith

dedicatedandwelltrainedstaffmembers.They

havetheabilityofmakingasignificantdifferencein

themedicalcareofthecommunity.”TheUPCCis

honoredtobeapartofagreatemergencyresponse

teamdedicatedtoimprovingthelivesofUtahns.

TheUPCCisindebtedtotheStateofUtah,

theUniversityofUtah,ourpublichealthpartners

atthestateandlocallevelandtheFederalHealth

ResourcesandServicesAdministrationforthe

tremendoussupporttoensurethatallUtahnshave

accesstothehighqualitypoisoncontrolcenter

servicesprovidedbythestaffoftheUtahPoison

ControlCenter.Onbehalfoftheentirestaffatthe

UPCC,wehopeyouenjoyour2008AnnualReport.

—�BArBArA�insleY�croUcH,�pHArMD,�MspH�

Director

KeepIng utaha proud legaCy TheUtahPoisonControlCenter

isnationallyrecognizedasa

CertifiedRegionalPoisonControl

CenterbytheAmericanAssoci-

ationofPoisonControlCenters.

Establishedin1954,theUPCC

hasrespondedtoover1.1million

callsforassistance.

mISSIon ThemissionoftheUPCCisto

preventandminimizeadverse

healtheffectsfromapoison

exposurethrougheducation,

service,andresearch.

Current StrategIC InItIatIVeS-Maintainapositiveandsustain-

ableworkingenvironmentfor

staff,faculty,andstudents.

-Fosterandexpandcollabora-

tiverelationshipswithpublic

health,pre-hospitalandhealth

careentities.

-Identifyandexpandoutreachser-

vicestopopulationsathigh-risk

forpoisoningthatcurrentlyunder

utilizepoisoncenterservices.

-Identifynewtrendsandsentinel

eventsinpoisoning.

goalS-Toprovide24-houremergency

telephoneservicetothepublic

andhealthprofessionalsof

Utahforassistanceduringa

poisoningemergency.

-Tomaintainaccreditationasa

regionalpoisoncontrolcenter

bytheAmericanAssociationof

PoisonControlCenters.

-Tobeastateresourcefor

accurateandup-to-datepoison

informationandclinicaltoxicol-

ogyconsultationtothepublic,

healthcareprofessionals,emer-

gencyservicepersonnel,public

healthofficials,andmedia.

-Toprovidequalitypoison

preventionandawarenessedu-

cationthroughoutthestate.

-TobealeaderinUtahforedu-

cationofhealthprofessionalsand

healthprofessionalstudentsin

clinicaltoxicology.

-Toconductclinicaltoxicology,

poisoningepidemiology,and

poisonpreventionresearch.

-Tobeanintegralpartofdi-

sasterplanningandresponse

throughactivelyparticipating

inlocal,UniversityofUtah,state,

andnationaldisasterprepared-

nessandresponse.

SpeCIalIStS In poISon InformatIon TheUPCCisstaffed24hoursa

daywithregisteredpharmacists,

nurses,andphysicianswithaddi-

tionaltraininginclinicaltoxicology.

SpecialistsinPoisonInformation

undergoaminimumof12weeks

oftoxicologytrainingpriorto

independentlyansweringpoison

exposurecalls.Afterworkingat

leastoneyearatthecenterand

handling2,000exposurecalls,

staffmembersarerequiredtosit

fortheSpecialistsinPoisonIn-

formationProficiencyExamination

tobecomeaCertifiedSpecialist

inPoisonInformation.

Ourmedicaldirectorand

directorprovideback-upatall

timestothespecialistsinpoison

informationandareboard

certifiedinmedicalandclinical

toxicology,respectively.

teen drug abuse is a prevalent problem:

- 1 in 5 teens has tried Vicodin®

- 1 in 10 has tried oxyContin®

- 1 in 10 has used ritalin® or adderall® for nonmedical purposes

- 1 in 11 teens has admitted to getting high on cough medicine

Partnership for a Drug-Free America


S a f e

dId you KnoW?


Bang for the TheUtahPoisonControlCenterwasoneofthefirstpoisoncentersinthe

nation.Ourcenterhelpedprovidetheframeworkandleadershipforallother

poisoncentersintheUnitedStates.ThismeanstheUPCChasaccumulated

unparalleledexpertiseandknowledge.Ourcenteristrulyamodelofefficiency.

TheUPCCisalsoagreatexampleofasuccessfulpublic/privatepartnership

thatprovidesUtahcitizenswithanincrediblebangforthebuck.Thecenter’s

knowledgeandexpertisecannotbereplicatedby911oranyotherentity.Without

theirservices,thefinancialtolltothestatewouldeasilybeinthemillions.

Butevenmoreimportantthansavingmoneyissavinglives,andtheUPCCdoes

savelives.Ifpeoplecouldn’tgettheinstantaccesstothisvaluableinformation,

therewouldbehundredsoreventhousandsofpoisonfatalitieseachyear.Noone

elsecanassessandrespondasfastorwithasmuchinformationastheUPCCcan.

PoisoningscanhappenatanytimeandtheUPCCisthere24/7tohelp.

Ofcourse,theynotonlyprovideimmediateresponse,theydoatremendous

jobwitheducatingthepubliconwaystopreventpoisoningsfromhappening

inthefirstplace.Andifourstateeverexperiencesahealthemergencyor

naturaldisaster,theUPCCwillleadoutintheresponse.Withoutit,we’dset

ourselvesback20yearsasastate.

—�representative�tim�M.�cosgrove

��Utah�state�House�of�representatives,�District�44

B u C KdId you KnoW?

Poisonings happen in Utah

more often than motor

vehicle crashes!

Every year, over one

million possible poisonings

in children under the

age of six are reported

to United States poison

control centers.

One in five teens

reports intentionally

misusing someone else’s

prescriptions to get high.


The UPCC is a very

effective, efficient use

of resources to save

lives and money.

–Representative Tim Cosgrove


TheUtahPoisonControl

Centerisanemergencyservice;

itsgoalistorespondefficiently

andeffectivelytoeachcall

forassistance.Foreachcall

received,thespecialistrapidly

takesapoisoninghistory.Based

onthehistoryoftheexposure,

circumstancesoftheexposure,and

theknowntoxicityofthepoison,a

determinationismadewhetherthe

situationcanbesafelymanaged

on-siteorwhetherthesituation

requirespromptmedicalattention.

Inthemajorityofcases,the

situationcanbesafelymanaged

on-sitewithtelephonefollow-

up.Specialistswillfollowmany

casestoensurethatfirstaid

instructionswereunderstood

andthesituationisresolving

asexpected.

Ifmedicalattentionisneeded,

thespecialistdetermines

whetherthepatientshouldbe

transportedviaemergency

medicalservices.Thespecialist

callsthehospitalandprovides

treatmentrecommendations

tothehealthcareprofessionals

caringforthepatient.

Whenconsultedbyhealth

professionals,specialiststakethe

samepoisonhistoryandprovide

treatmentrecommendationsto

cliniciansbasedonthepatient

history,circumstancesofthe

exposure,andtheknowntoxicity

oftheagent(s).Casesarefollowed

throughoutthehospitalstayto

reassesspatientstatusandtoadjust

recommendationsasappropriate.

If someone has tasted, touched, or breathed something that may hurt them, call�1-800-222-1222�immediately.

Your�call�receives�immediate�attention.�tell�the�

specialist�what�happened�as�best�you�can.�please�

be�ready�to�provide�the�following�information:

exact name of the productamount takenWhen the poisoning happenedthe age, weight, and general state of health of the poisoned personhow the person is doingphone number where you can be reached

Poison centers have the most up-to-date information on new products and treatments for poisoning.

The most common substances associated with poison exposures reported to poison centers for children are:

- Cosmetics and personal care items

- household cleaners

- pain relieving medicines

dId you KnoW? CallIng the utah poISon

proCeSS

C o n t r o l C e n t e r

o f a C a l l


Young children have a hard time distinguishing between some household items and poison:

Common poison look-alikes

- apple juice and pine cleaner

- Blue fruit drink and window cleaner

- lemonade and nail polish remover

- Breath mints and moth balls

- Candy tar ts and children’s v itamins

Poisoncentersprovide

accessibleandaffordable

healthcare.TheUtahPoison

ControlCenter’sspecialists

inpoisoninformationassess,

triage,manage,andcontinually

monitorpatientswithapoison

exposureatnodirectchargeto

thepatient,practitionerorhealth

careinstitution,thusprovidinga

substantialsavingstoparticipants

acrosstheentirehealthcare

spectrum.Thiscostsavings

benefitsindividuals–whetherthey

haveinsuranceornot;insurance

companies;andthegovernment,

whichfundsasignificantportion

ofhealthcareintheUnitedStates.

Poisoncenterssavehealth

caredollarsbymanagingmost

poisonexposuresathome

withtelephonefollow-up.Utah

surveyshavedocumented

thatupto76%ofcallersto

thepoisoncenterwouldseek

treatmentinanemergency

department,urgentcareclinic

ordoctorsofficeifthepoison

centerwerenotavailable.The

poisoncenterhelpstoavoidthese

unnecessaryhealthcarecosts.

Poisoncentersalsohelpreduce

overallhealthcarecostseven

whentreatmentinahospitalis

necessary.Whenhospitalization

isnecessary,consultationwitha

poisoncentercansignificantly

decreasethepatient’slengthof

staybythemoreeffectiveuseof

laboratorytesting,moreefficient

useofantidotes,andappropriate

monitoringpractices.

Patientsmanagedwithpoison

centerassistancecuttheiraverage

lengthofhospitalizationfrom

6.5daysto3.5days,resulting

infurthersavingsofmorethan

$2,100perpatient.Theannualcost

savingsattributabletopoison

centersupportforinpatient

careofpoisonedpatientsis

morethan9timesgreaterthan

thetotalcostofrunningall

Americanpoisoncenters.

A�few�of�the�ways�the�Utah�poison�control�center�provides�

tremendous�value�to�Utah�health�care�facilities:

dId you KnoW?

SaVIng lIVeS &S a V I n g m o n e y

- helps to decrease crowding in emergency departments

- minimizes unnecessary emS ambulance runs

- frees critical emergency medical staff to be able to handle more true emergencies

- Saves hospitals and health care institutions the costs of providing indigent care


Young people, who intentionally abuse cough medicine to get high, sometimes take as much as 25-50 times the recommended dose.

Consumer Healthcare Products Association

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a leading cause of poisoning deaths. All fuel-burning devices can produce CO if they are not properly working or are not properly vented. All homes should have carbon monoxide alarms.

Educatingthepublicabouttheservicesof

thepoisoncontrolcenterandhowtoprevent

poisoningsisakeycomponentoftheUtahPoison

ControlCenter’sefforts.TheUPCC’soutreach

effortsincludecaretakersofsmallchildrenand

Utah’sunder-servedandhighriskpopulations.

Educationalmaterials,presentations,andsafety

fairsarespecificallytargetedtowardparents

withchildrenunderagesix,educators,health

careprofessionals,lawenforcementpersonnel,

andunder-servedpopulationsincludingmulti-

culturalpopulationsandseniors.Mediarelations

arecontinuallycultivatedtocommunicatevital

informationthroughtelevision,radio,andprint

newsoutlets.In2008,theUPCCstaffwere

involvedin23mediaevents.

dId you KnoW?

tIp

SpreadIng theW o r d

TheUPCC’swebsite,www.utahpoisoncontrol.org,hassectionstargetingtheneedsofhealth

professionals,educators,parents,themedia,

andasearchablepoisonousplantdatabase.

What you can do on the site:- access poison prevention lesson plans for specif ic audiences

- download activ ity sheets for children

- Sign up for newsletters

- access information on ordering educational materials


tIp

Pesticides can be absorbed through the skin or when inhaled. Use caution when applying pesticides whether indoors or outdoors. Wear proper clothing and protective eyewear and avoid spraying outside on windy days. Use containers that are made to keep children out. If a product has a child resistant closure, replace the cap tightly. Remember that NO container is child proof.

tIp

Dispose of medications properly. Do not flush them down the toilet. Mix unused medications with an undesirable substance and place in a sealed container before disposing in the trash.

poISone d u C a t I o n TheUPCCutilizesitsunique

Train-the-Trainerprogramineach

ofthe12localhealthdistrictsin

Utah.Thisuniquetraininghelps

tobuildcommunitycapacity

toprovidepoisonprevention

throughoutthestateand

allowstheUPCCtostretchits

limitedresources.Thisprogram

issupportedbyagrantfrom

HealthResourcesandServices

Administration,USDepartment

ofHealthandHumanServices.

� several�new�programs�have�

been�developed�and�added�to�

the�Upcc�website:

- Poison Safety

(Pre K through 6th grade)

- Medication Safety and Poison

Prevention (Seniors)

- Inhalant Prevention (4th grade

through 7th grade)

- Keeping Children Safe

(Young parents)

Thesearecompletelessonplanswithactivities,worksheets,andPowerPoint®presentations.Allmaterialscanbedownloaded.

Apublicnewsletter,

Poison Antidote,thatdiscusses

timelypoisoningtopicsis

publishedthreetimesayear.

topics�covered�in�2008�included:

Spring cleaning safety tips,

medication disposal, dangers of

children’s products that look like

food or drinks, cough and cold

medicine warning, and proper

disposal of mercury-containing

products. This newsletter is

available on the website and by

email distribution.

AsaprogramoftheCollegeof

Pharmacy,UniversityofUtah,the

UPCCplaysapivotalroleinthe

didacticandexperientialtraining

ofpharmacystudents.Inaddition,

asamemberoftheUniversityof

UtahHealthSciencesCenter,the

UPCCstaffplaysakeyroleinthe

trainingofemergencymedicine

residents,pediatricemergency

medicinefellows,andmedical

students.TheUPCCiscommitted

toprovidingprofessionaleducation

statewide.UPCCstaffgave39

presentationstohealthprofession-

alsthroughoutthestatein2008.

Inaddition,aquarterlynewsletter

ontimelyclinicaltoxicologytopics,

Toxicology Today,isdistributed

tohealthprofessionalsstatewide.

Featuredtopicsin2008included:

cyanide,sentinelevents,activated

charcoal,nasaldecongestants,

andhydrogenperoxide.

profeSSIonal eduCatIon


As a mother, it’s

reassuring to know

that there is a place

you can call anytime

that will help you; a

place that doesn’t

make you feel stupid

or embarrassed to

have called.

–Heidi

anna & heIdI’S Mysix-year-olddaughterAnnawasinourfrontroomwatchingTVwhileI

wasinthekitchendoingdishes.Icouldn’tseeherverywell,butIcouldhear

herrummagingthroughmypurse.She’ssuchagirliegirlwholovesmakeup,

Ifiguredshewaslookingformylipstick.WhenIheardaclick,Iinstantly

knewshehadgottenaholdofmyEPIpen.

Iranintothefrontroomtoinvestigateandsureenough,theEPIpenwas

lyingonthefloor.Annahadaccidentallyreleasedadoseintoherfinger.

Seeingmypanickedface,Annaquicklyexplainedshewasjusttryingto

writewiththepen.

TheEPIpenstaysinmypurseatalltimesbecauseI’mallergictonuts.I

hadtouseitonceanditmademyheartracesofastIthoughtitwould

jumpoutofmychest.Asadramaticmother,Iinstantlyjumpedtothe

conclusionthatiftheEPIshotmademyheartrace,itcouldeasilycausemy

littlegirl’shearttoexplode.

IcalledmypediatricianwhotoldmetoimmediatelycalltheUtahPoison

ControlCenter.Thepoisonspecialistwhoansweredcalmedmedownand

assuredmethatAnnawasn’tinmortaldanger.Hewasabitconcernedthat

thelocationoftheEPIshotcouldstopthebloodflowtoAnna’sfinger,so

herecommendedthatIseektreatmentatanemergencyfacility.Ahuge

feelingofreliefwashedovermeasIhungupthephonewiththepoison

centerbecauseIknewAnnawouldbeokay.

S t o r y

The UPCC works closely with doctors, hospitals, and public officials on prevention and treatment of public health issues

including:

- West nile Virus

- food poisoning

- Bioterrorism threats

- disaster preparedness


dId you KnoW?

TheUtahPoisonControlCenterreceivesanaverageof155callsperday.Somearefromcallers

seekinginformationabouttheproperuse,storage,andprecautionsregardingdrugsandchemicals.

ButmostofthecallsarefromconcernedUtahnsandhealthprofessionalsregardingapoisonexposure.

in�2008,�the�Utah�poison�control�center�received�56,599�calls.

Call BreaKdoWn

tIp

Energy drinks, other energy boosting supplements, and weight loss products often contain one or more sources of caffeine and other dietary supplements that may pose potential safety risks in combination. The FDA recently released a warning against one such product, because it contained an undeclared prescription weight loss medication, which is a controlled substance. Pay close attention to ingredients and servings per containers.

2008 hIghlIghtS &S t a t I S t I C S

exposure

85.6% 7.7% 2.9% 1.1% 1.0% 0.7% 1.0%

48,438 4,390 1,668 623 555 371 554

drug Identification

drug Information

poison Information

environmental Information

medical Information other


Of the 48,438 poison exposures, 1,753 involved animals.

age dIStrIButIon Thedangerofpoison

exposureisgreatestamong

Utah’schildren.Childrenare

naturallycuriousandorally

exploretheirenvironment.This

meansthatchildrenlessthansix

(especially12monthsthrough

twoyears)areparticularlyatrisk

forpoisonexposure.

SuBStanCe CategorIeS Thetypesofsubstances

involvedinpoisonexposures

includeproductsavailablein

thehome,workplace,andthe

environment.

Becausechildrenunder

sixrepresentsuchalarge

percentageofpoisonexposures,

itisimportanttonotewhich

substancesaremostcommonin

exposuresinthisgroup.

tIpStore all household products and medicines out of reach and out of sight of children and pets.

<6 yrs.

62% 6% 6% 22% 4%

28,962 2,546 2,678 9,902 1,795

6-12 yrs. 13-19 yrs. 20-59 yrs. 60+ yrs.

all

ageS

ChIldren under SIXranKIng of top 10 SuBStanCeS

poISon eXpoSureS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

3,715

1,970

3,381

1,243

3,327

1,055

2,075

878

2,023

748

analgesics

Sedatives, hypnotics & antipsychotics

household CleaningSubstances

topical preparations

Cosmetics & personalCare products

Cold & Cough preparations

Vitamins & minerals

antidepressants

foreign Bodies, toys, misc.

food poisonings

Cosmetics & personalCare products

foreign Bodies, toys, misc.

analgesics

Cold & Cough preparations

household CleaningSubstances

gastrointestinal preparations

Vitamins & minerals

antihistamines

topical preparations

plants

6,629

2,460

4,351

2,362

4,272

2,109

2,515

1,698

2,469

1,4352008 Annual Report | 13

truly al I f e S a V e rfaCtEvery 30 seconds a child is poisoned in the United States

faCtNationally, poisoning is second only to motor vehicle crashes as a leading cause of unintentional death.


TheUtahPoisonControlCenteristrulyalifesaver,particularlyinruraland

frontierareas.Someofthecommunitiesinmyfour-countyareadon’thavewide-

spreadInternetaccess,sowithouttheUPCC,manypeoplewouldtrytohandle

poisonexposuresthemselves.Fatalitieswouldoccurthatcouldeasilybeprevent-

ed.Plus,inruralandfrontierareas,hospitalsareoftenoveranhouraway.Poison

exposuresrequiretreatmenttobeginimmediately.TheUPCCtellsyouwhatyou

candototreatanexposurebeforeyougettothehospital.Thepoisonspecialists

willalsocallaheadtothehospitaltoprovideinformationandrecommendationsso

thatpropertreatmentcanbeadministeredimmediatelyuponyourarrival.

OfcoursetheUPCCisn’tjustsittingaroundwaitingforpeopletocall.Iamcon-

stantlyimpressedwiththeirproactivenatureastheyseeknewwaystoeducate

communitiesacrossthestate.Theirprintedmaterialsarewonderful.Wehavefound

theinformationtobeextremelyeffectiveineducatingnewparents,grandparents,

andthepubliconwaystheycanhelppreventexposures,particularlyinchildren.

YoucannotunderestimatetheimportantroletheUPCCplaysregardingstate-

widepreparednessforbioterrorismandotherpotentialcatastrophes.Ifatruckrolls

orthereisatrainaccidentinvolvinghazardousmaterials,theUPCCisakeymember

oftheresponseteamthatwilldeterminehowtobestprotectthecommunity.

—�Georgina�nowak

community�Health�educator

southeastern�Utah�District�Health�Department


In addition to being

experts in all poison-

related issues, the

poison specialists are

always helpful, caring,

and professional.

Their commitment to

follow up each case

through additional

phone calls is

second to none.

–Georgina

eXpoSure SIte Themajorityofpoisonexposuresoccurinthehome.Useofchild-resistantclosuresandothersafety

precautionshelp,buteveninthebestpoison-proofedhomes,exposuresoccurbecausethemajorityof

exposuresoccurwhentheproductisinuse.

reaSon for eXpoSure ThemajorityofpoisonexposuresreportedtotheUtahPoisonControlCenterwereunintentionaland

involvedchildrenorallyexploringtheirenvironment.Ninety-ninepercentofexposuresinchildrenlessthan

sixyearsofagewereunintentionalcomparedtoonly43%intheagegroupof13-19years.Themajorityof

exposuresinadultswereunintentional(62%).Adultunintentionalexposuresinvolvedtherapeuticerrors

(takingthewrongdoseorwrongmedication)aswellasocularanddermalexposurestohousehold

chemicals,pesticides,andautomotiveproducts.

eXpoSure management and treatment DuetotheexpertiseandefficiencyoftheUPCCcallcenter,themajorityofpoisonexposures(77%)

weremanagedonsitewithtelephonefollow-up.Childrenlessthansixyearsoldareevenmorelikely

thanolderchildrenoradultstobemanagedonsite(89%).Treatmentinahealthcarefacilitywas

providedin20%oftheexposuresandrecommendedinanother2%ofpatientswhorefusedthereferral.

TheUPCCwasinvolvedinthecareofmorethan9,000poisonexposurescasesthatweremanaged

inahealthcarefacility.Thehealthcarefacilitiesincludeallacutecarehospitalsthroughoutthestateas

wellasurgentcareclinicsanddoctor’soffices.

tIpFirst aid instructions on product labels are often incorrect or dangerous. Call the UPCC for advice.


86.5% 0.6%6.4% 0.5%1.9% 0.3%1.6% 2.2%

40,407 2712,966 228882 150732 1,049

own residence School

other residence

restaurant/food ServiceWorkplace

health Care facilitypublic area

unknown/other

total human eXpoSureS 46,685

5,93165.2%

1,23513.6%

8669.5%

7798.6%

2783.1%

BreaKdoWn of 9,089 CaSeS managed In a health Care faCIlItytreated and released from

emergency departmentlost to follow up and/or

left against medical adviceadmitted to a

critical care unitadmitted to a

non-critical care unitadmitted to

psychiatric facility

Count y dIStrIButIon Poisonexposureisastatewide

concern.Humanexposurecalls

originatedinall29Utahcounties

asshowninthetabletothe

right.Penetranceistherateof

reportingbasedonthepopulation

ofeachcounty(rateisper

1,000population).TheUPCC’s

penetranceof17.3ismorethan

doublethenationalaverage.This

meansthatUtahnshaveahigh

awarenessandutilizationofthe

poisoncenter,andtakeadvantage

ofthequalityandcost-effective

servicestheUPCCprovides.

tIpAvoid taking medication in front of children.

tIp

Turn on a light when taking or giving medication.

CountyperCentof CallS

BeaverBox ElderCacheCarbonDaggettDavisDuchesneEmeryGarfieldGrandIronJuabKaneMillardMorganPiuteRichSalt LakeSan JuanSanpeteSevierSummitTooeleUintahUtahWasatchWashingtonWayneWeberOut of StateTotal

0.2%1.6%3.9%0.9%0.0%11.5%1.0%0.5%0.2%0.2%1.5%

0.4%0.2%0.4%0.3%0.0%0.1%

35.7%0.2%

1.1%0.8%1.0%2.4%1.2%

19.9%0.7%4.6%0.1%7.5%1.9%

100%

12.216.716.621.614.418.028.821.716.211.915.417.016.813.013.015.226.816.17.017.1

17.611.418.618.218.813.614.714.416.2

17.3

79791

1,808426

145,316

46622779

109689164108174120

2158

16,387103452359438

1,050523

9,408298

2,07738

3,5671,336

46,685

penetranCehuman

eXpoSureS


46,685 23,833 22,852

human exposure calls received

in 2008

Cases judged as minimally toxic

or nontoxic

Cases were re-contacted for continued

evaluation

21,015hadminimalornoeffect

1,772hadamoderatetomajoreffectthatusuallyrequiredtreatmentinahealthcarefacility

63resultedindeath,36ofthesewerereportedbythestatemedicalexaminerorlawenforcement.

Asmallpercentageofcaseswerejudgedpotentiallytoxic,butlosttofollowupduetoincompletecontactinformation.

of the 22,852 CaSeS:

medICal outCome

With the Utah

Poison Control

Center available

24/7, it’s like having

a poison expert

in the emergency

department around

the clock.

–Dr. Bruce Herman


dId you KnoW?

Plants are a common cause of poisoning in children.

Common toxic plants include:

- philodendron

- Jimsonweed

- dumbcane

- foxglove

- Virginia creeper

- Stinging nettle


hIgh Standard of WhenIwasatraineeinemergencymedicine,Ihadtheopportunityto

workwiththeUtahPoisonControlCenter.Ihavetalkedtothemonan

almostdailybasiseversince.WhenpatientscomeintotheEDwithpoison

exposures,IalwayscalltheUPCCtoconfirmdiagnosesandtreatment

recommendations.Evenwithcasesthatseemcut-and-dry,Iwillconsult

withthemtomakesureIhaven’tmissedanything.

TheUPCCalsohelpstogreatlyreduceourworkload,makingtheEDmore

efficient.Insteadoftryingtocombthroughahugecomputerdatabaselooking

forup-to-dateinformationaboutaparticularpoisonortreatment,wecancallthe

UPCCforspecificinformationtailoredtoanindividualcase.Thepoisonspecialists

tellusexactlywhatweneedtodoforeventhemost-uncommonexposureslike

snakebites.Andtheirhelpisinvaluableindetermininghowlongpatientsshould

beobservedandwhenapatientcanbesafelyreleased.Becauseoftheirinput,

wesaveahugeamountofhospitalresourcesbynotsendingpatientsintocritical

caremanagementwhentheydon’treallyneedit.

Bottomline,iftheUPCCweren’tthere,itwouldhurtthechildren.

Basically,we’dbewingingitinmanycircumstances.PrimaryChildren’s

MedicalCenterhasawell-deservedreputationforprovidingthehighest

levelofcareforchildrenandweneedtheUtahPoisonControlCenterto

maintainourstandardofexcellence.

—��Dr.�Bruce�Herman,�M.D.

pediatric�emergency�Medicine�and�primary�children’s�Medical�center�Fellowship�

Director

e X C e l l e n C e

TheUtahPoisonControlCenterisonlyasgoodasitsstaffandsupporters.Fortunately,wehave

thebestandbrightestinbothcategories.Asincerethankstothefollowing:dId you KnoW?

In a customer satisfaction survey taken in 2008:

97.9% of the respondants rated the UPCC poison specialists good or excellent in terms of courtesy, knowledge, understanding, and helpfulness.

98.8% of the respondants rated the UPCC services as good or excellent.

100% will call the UPCC again.


thanKy o u

SpeCIalIStS In poISon InformatIon:Kathleen T. Anderson, PharmD,CSPI*

Michael Andrus, PharmD,CSPI*

Bradley D. Dahl, PharmD,CSPI*

Mike Donnelly, RN,BSN,CSPI*

Ed. T. Moltz, RN,BSN,CSPI*

Mo Mulligan, RN,BSN,JD

Sandee Oliver, RN,BSN,CSPI*

Micah Redmond, RN,BSN,CSPI*

Cathie Smith, RN,BSN

John Stromness, BSPharm,CSPI*

Megan Smedley, PharmD

Karen Thomas, PharmD

*CSPI denotes AAPCC Certified

Specialist in Poison Information.

poISon InformatIon proVIderSRyan Farrington

Megan Glanville

Monique Hall

Arash Mohajer

dIreCtorBarbara Insley Crouch, PharmD, MSPH, DABAT

medICal dIreCtorE. Martin Caravati, MD, MPH, FACMT

aSSIStant dIreCtorSHeather W. Bennett, MPA

Scott Marshall, PharmD, CSPI*

aSSoCIate medICal dIreCtorDouglas E. Rollins, MD, PhD

CoordInator, outreaCh eduCatIonMarty Malheiro, MS, CHES

aSSIStant outreaCh eduCatorSherrie Pace, BS, CHES

grant and proJeCt admInIStratIonDavid Craig

Kelly Teemant

admInIStratIVe aSSIStantBrenda Clausing

adVISory BoardAUPCCAdvisoryBoardwas

establishedin1998andcontinues

torepresenttheinterestsofthe

public,universityandstate,and

toprovidefiscaloversight.

ChaIr:Sarah E. Croskell, MD, MPH

Pediatrician

ChaIr-eleCt:Jan M. Buttrey, MBA

Retired

FormerDirector

BureauofEmergencyServices

UtahDepartmentofHealth

ImmedIate paSt ChaIr:Larry N. Dew, MBA, CPA

AssistantVicePresident

HealthSciencesCenter

UniversityofUtah

dIreCtorS:Diana I. Brixner, PhD

Chair

DepartmentofPharmacotherapy

UniversityofUtah

Jolie Coleman

DevelopmentOfficer

CollegeofEngineering

UniversityofUtah

John W. Mauger, PhD

Dean

CollegeofPharmacy

UniversityofUtah

Peter P. Taillac, MD

EmergencyPhysician

UniversityofUtah

MedicalDirector,BureauofEMS


Anthony R. Temple, MD

Retired

FormerVicePresidentof

MedicalAffairs

McNeilConsumer&Specialty

Pharmaceuticals

Jillanne C. Vicory

Director

CommunityandMemberAffairs

UtahHospitalandHealth

SystemsAssociation

Dagmar Vitek, MD

DeputyDirector/MedicalOfficer

SaltLakeValleyHealth

Department

Paula Julandar, BSN, MSN

FormerUtahSenator

David F. Cole, MD

EmergencyPhysician

PioneerValleyHospital

President

UtahChapterACEP

eX-offICIo memBerSE. Martin Caravati, MD, MPH

MedicalDirector

UtahPoisonControlCenter

Barbara Insley Crouch, PharmD,

MSPH

Director

UtahPoisonControlCenter

SupporterSUniversityofUtahCollege

ofPharmacy

UniversityofUtahHealthSciences

UniversityofUtah


HealthResourcesandServices

Administration,anagencyofthe

USDepartmentofHealthand

HumanServices

FordMotorCompany

tIp Always read the label before using and follow the instructions on medicines, cleaners, pesticides, automotive, and lawn and garden products for their proper use.


2008 Annual Report

585 Komas Drive, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Admin: 801-587-0600 Fax: 801-581-4199

www.utahpoisoncontrol.org

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