Summary (English)
Summary (English)
The Dutch Poisons Information Center (DPIC), which is part of the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), provides physicians and other health care professionals with information about potential health effects and treatment options when dealing with acute intoxications. The DPIC can be consulted by telephone (24/7) or online (www.vergiftigingen.info).
In 2023, the DPIC received 43,612 information requests by telephone concerning intoxications of humans and animals. The telephone inquiries involved 32,180 humans and 8,511 animals exposed to potentially toxic substances. The website www.vergiftigingen.info was consulted 204,596 times in total, an increase of 23% compared to 2022. From the end of 2022 onwards, users of www.vergiftigingen.info were asked to indicate whether they are treating a potentially exposed patient or whether they are seeking information about a poisonous substance or treatment protocol. In 2023, www.vergiftigingen.info was consulted 99,118 times for patients.
Poisoning in humans uitklapper, klik om te openen
Most information requests involved therapeutic drugs; 20,136 human exposures were reported by telephone and 69,086 exposures were reported via www.vergiftigingen.info. Approximately 15% of these exposures involved benzodiazepines. In 2023, the NVIC was consulted on over 14,000 poisonings involving benzodiazepines by telephone and website. The number of exposures to designer and non-registered benzodiazepines increased, with 226 poisonings reported in 2023. These often involved bromazolam (88 exposures) and pyrazolam (34 exposures).
Cosmetics are one of the product groups the DPIC receives the least information requests on; most requests involve exposures to toothpaste, nail polish (and remover), and perfume. In 2023, the DPIC was consulted by telephone for 1,855 human exposures to cosmetics including 1,203 exposures in children aged 0-4 years (65%). Most of the reports involved high dose ingestions of toothpaste (301 exposures reported via telephone, and an additional 288 exposures reported via www.vergiftigingen.info), particularly in children under 5 years old (>90%). As many toothpastes contain fluoride to prevent tooth decay, consuming more than the recommended amount can cause health problems. Fortunately, most children only take one or a few bites of toothpaste and develop no or only mild gastrointestinal symptoms.
In 2023, the DPIC was consulted by telephone for 1,853 human exposures to street drugs and other illegal substances. Most exposures involved recreational drugs like cannabis, cocaine and MDMA. 3-MMC (3-methylmethcathinon), also known as ‘poes’ or ‘miauw’ in Dutch, is a new psychoactive substance (NPS) or designer drug. The effects of 3-MMC are similar to those of amphetamine and MDMA, causing heightened energy and euphoria. Unwanted effects of 3-MMC include an increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. In October 2021, 3-MMC was placed on Schedule II of the Opium Act. In 2023, the DPIC was consulted by telephone for 202 exposures to 3-MMC, representing almost twice the number of reported exposures than 2022, clearly showing that the ban had no effect on its use.
In addition to its medical application, ketamine is used as a recreational drug because of its hallucinogenic and dissociative properties. In recent years, the DPIC has observed an increase in the number of poisonings involving ketamine abuse; in 2023, over 300 exposures of ketamine abuse were reported. Long-term abuse of ketamine can cause urinary symptoms and permanent bladder damage.
In 2023, the DPIC was consulted by telephone for 2,007 exposures to food supplements. The DPIC regularly reports to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about exposures to food supplements and related products for health and sport (including supplements with illegal ingredients). Within this scope, noticeable products included sport stimulants, weight loss products, and alkaline drops.
The number of occupational intoxications reported by telephone to the DPIC increased to 1,096 cases in 2023. In addition, the DPIC was consulted for 46 large accidents and calamities with hazardous substances. In contrast to all human exposures where ingestion was the main exposure route, occupational intoxications often involve inhalation (38%), skin contact (25%) or eye contact (22%).
Poisoning in animals uitklapper, klik om te openen
In 2023, the DPIC was consulted by telephone for 9,090 exposures of animals to potentially toxic substances. The majority of exposures involved therapeutic drugs (27%). The DPIC was consulted by telephone regarding 732 animal exposures to veterinary drugs, mainly involving dogs (54%) and cats (42%). More than half of these veterinary exposures were associated with antimicrobial and antiparasitic agents (411 exposures); these included, for example, the anthelmintics praziquantel (87 exposures) and milbemycin (64 exposures), and the insecticides permethrin (50 exposures) and fluralaner (29 exposures).
The DPIC was consulted by telephone regarding 752 animal exposures to pesticides, mainly dogs (76%) and cats (17%). The number of reported exposures to rodenticides containing long-acting anticoagulants has decreased in the past three years to 232 veterinary exposures in 2023, probably reflecting the stricter regulation regarding the application of these long-acting anticoagulants.