Does Money Spent on Measuring Blood Levels of Acetaminophen Reduce the Cost of Treatment of Acetaminophen Poisoning?

Abstract

Abstract:Objective: Acetaminophen has been used as a safe analgesic and antipyretic. Acute ingestion of 10 g or more than 200 mg/kg as a single ingestion is accepted as toxic for adults. To show that money spent on measuring blood levels of acetaminophen reduces the cost of treatment of acetaminophen poisoning. Materials and Methods: The files of patients who were admitted to Kayseri Training and Research Hospital with pre-diagnosis of acetaminophen intoxication were examined over 6 months. One of the costs is based on the patients' own estimation of the toxic level of acetaminophen and the other is according to the measure of the toxic blood level of acetaminophen. The cost of the two groups was compared. Results: A total of 558 patients were diagnosed to have drug overdose during 6 months. Of these patients, 55 patients were evaluated as having acetaminophen overdose. According to the claims of 19 patients, acetaminophen level was calculated as toxic. However, only five patients' blood acetaminophen level was measured as toxic. Conclusion: Measuring blood acetaminophen level would be more accurate and advantageous in terms of both treatment planning and the cost of therapy in developing countries as in developed countries that have advanced healthcare system.