Valsartan ingestions among adults reported to Texas poison control centers, 2000 to 2005.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Little data exist on potentially adverse valsartan ingestions reported to poison control centers. METHODS: Using adult ingestions of valsartan reported to Texas poison control centers during 2000-2005, I determined the proportion of cases involving serious outcomes for selected variables and evaluated for statistical significance by calculating the rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Thirteen (7%) of 185 total cases involved serious outcomes. Serious outcomes were significantly more likely to occur with a maximum dose 320 mg (RR 9.06, CI 1.30-100.14) or 4 tablets (RR 9.00, CI 2.07-39.11) or where the circumstances of the exposures involved self-harm or malicious intent (RR 17.28, CI 4.98-67.13). CONCLUSIONS: The severity of the medical outcome associated with adult valsartan ingestions depended on the dose and the circumstances of the ingestion. Such information is useful for creating triage guidelines for the management of adult valsartan ingestions.