Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Management 2383-4498 4 3/4 2018 11 14 58 64 Aroona Chabra Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University, Ayatollah Amoli branch, Amol, Iran AND Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Nasrin Pakravan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Amir Shadboorestan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Amirhossein Ahmadi Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Farzad Bozorgi Department of Emergency, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Seyed Khalil Mousavi Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Mohammad Eghbali Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 2019 04 12 Background: Poisoning and drug overdoses are considered a health problem in modern countries. In this study, we assessed the pattern of poisoning and drug overdoses at Imam Khomeini hospital in Sari city, the northern region of Iran. Methods: To assess the pattern and circumstances of poisoning, the patients’ information who were referred to the emergency unit with acute toxic poisoning over four years were randomly obtained retrospectively from their medical records. Results: A total of 1,646 patients were analyzed. The highest rate of poisonings was related to suicidal intentions and mostly occurred at age of 18 to 35 years and in females. Medications were the principal groups of poisons involved (53.15%), including benzodiazepines as the most common agents (30.3%), followed by multiple medications (25.5%) and opioids (10%). Organophosphate compounds (3%), aluminum and zinc phosphide (2.7%), and rodenticide (1.7%) were also among the commonly used poisons; however, they were the main leading cause of overdose deaths. Thirty patients (1.8%) died in total, and death was caused most commonly by zinc and aluminum phosphide (8 cases), followed by opioids (6 cases) and rodenticide (4 cases). Conclusion: The high prevalence of intentional overdoses and mortality among young adults requires considerable attention, and further surveys are needed to address the fundamental underlying causes. More restrictive regulations and increasing public awareness regarding the role of centers providing information about poisoning available in the region can assist to prevent the development of this public health problem. https://jppm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jppm/article/view/115 https://jppm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jppm/article/download/115/62