Poison control centers: Most poisoning deaths occur among adults
Alexandria, VA – Although many calls to poison control centers concern children, most poison-related fatalities occur among adults, according to a statement released March 18 by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
The association states that 3.9 million calls were made to poison control centers in 2010 – 2.4 million of which involved “human exposures to poisons.” AAPCC offers the following tips to avoid poisoning:
- Keep medicines and cleaning chemicals in secure locations.
- Read prescription bottles before taking medicine to ensure you are ingesting the correct dosage.
- Check carbon monoxide detectors and their batteries twice yearly.
National Poison Prevention Week is March 18-24.
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