Nationwide Poison Control Phone Number

1
Alaska Poison Control System

• Nationwide Poison Control Phone Number

The Oregon Poison Control Center handles
poisoning calls from Alaska.
Oregon PCC staff utilize the ACMRD to provide
information on medical assistance to Alaskan
callers.
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http//www.chems.alaska.gov/poison/index.asp
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Poison Control Centers

• For every 1 spent on Poison Control Centers, an
  estimated 7 is saved in medical care costs.
• Each call to a Poison Control Center prevents
  175.00 in other medical spending.
• Average cost per poison exposure managed by a
  Poison Control Center is 28.00.
• Average hospital cost for poison exposure is
  245.00.

Source Miller, et al Cost of Poisoning in the US
and saving from PCC A benefit- cost analysis.
1997.
4
Poison Control Centers
By helping people manage emergencies at home,
Poison Control Centers prevent about 50,000
hospitalizations and 400,000 trips to doctors
offices or emergency departments each year.
5
Alaska Deaths from Poisoning, 1990-1998
Total Deaths 392, Source Alaska Bureau of
Vital Statistics 2001
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Alaska Deaths from Poisoning 1990-1998
Total 392, Source Alaska Bureau of Vital
Statistics 2001
7

• Substances Most Common in
• Alaskas Poison Exposures
• Medications/Vitamins
• Lamp oil
• Petroleum products
• Cosmetics/Perfume
• Household products
• Carbon Monoxide
• Foods/Plants

Source Serious and Fatal Child and Adolescent
Injuries in Alaska, 1994-1998.
8
Medications

• Unintentional poisoning was responsible for the
  hospitalization of 133 Alaskan children under age
  5 from 1994-1998.
• Over 63 of these incidents involved the child
  getting into medications often medicine
  belonging to a relative living in or visiting the
  home.
• Eleven of the incident descriptions specifically
  mentioned vitamins as the poisonous substance.

9
Food Poisoning

• There were from 6-21 cases of food-borne botulism
  reported per year during 1991-1996 in Alaska.
• Most botulism cases are due to fermented
  traditional Alaska native foods and seal oil.
• The traditional methods of fermenting foods
  increases the risk of botulism by increasing the
  likelihood of anaerobic conditions.

Source State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin
24, 1997.
10
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

• Beaches used for recreational clamming are not
  tested for PSP.
• There is no reliable to test clams for PSP prior
  to eating them.
• Shellfish collected from uncertified beaches in
  Alaska should not be eaten.

Source State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin
42, December 8, 1997.
11
Poisonous Mushrooms

• About one hundred kinds of mushrooms can hurt
  humans.
• Its hard for an expert mycologist to determine
  which mushrooms are poisonous.
• Best Bet dont eat wild mushrooms.

12
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Every year, more than 200 Americans die from CO
  produced by fuel-burning appliances, and several
  thousand go to emergency departments for
  treatment for CO poisoning.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning was responsible for 8
  of all child and adolescent poisonings in Alaska
  from 1994-1998.

Source Serious and Fatal Child and Adolescent
Injuries in Alaska, 1994-1998.
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Poisoning Prevention

• Store household products and medications locked
  out of sight and out of reach of children.
• Read labels and follow directions carefully.
• Use dispenser that comes packaged with childrens
  medication.

14
Poisoning Prevention

• Ask for and use Child Resistant Packaging.
• Dont call medicine candy.
• Take medications where children cant watch.
• Teach children to ask an adult before eating or
  drinking anything.

15
Poisoning First Aid

• Has the person collapsed or stopped breathing?
• Call 911 or your local emergency number
  right away.

• Poison in the eyes?
• Rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20
  minutes.
• Call 1-800-222-1222.
• Poison on the skin?
• Take off any clothing that the poison touched.
• Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20
  minutes.
• Call 1-800-222-1222.

• Inhaled poison?
• Get to fresh air right away.
• Call 1-800-222-1222.
• Swallowed the wrong medicine or too much
  medicine?
• Call 1-800-222-1222.
• Swallowed something thats not food or drink?
• Drink a small amount of milk or water.
• Call 1-800-222-1222