Table 2.

Patient demographics and exposure types in cases of mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen overdose reported in enquiries to the UK National Poisons Information Service

		Mefenamic acid		Ibuprofen		Diclofenac		Naproxen
		n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Total		925		17 302		3385		1325
Median (interquartile range; min–max) Age, (years)		17(14–25; 0–83)		23(2–29; 0–98)		29 (3–40; 0–94)		32(20–45: 0–94)
Gender	Female	791	85.5%	9817	56.8%	1844	54.5%	693	52.3%
	Male	128	13.8%	7324	42.3%	1513	44.7%	626	47.2%
	Unknown	6	0.7%	161	0.9%	28	0.8%	6	0.5%
Co‐administration		464	50.20%	9212	53.2%	2085	61.6%	778	58.7%
Circumstances	Intentional	635	68.6%	7955	46.0%	1790	52.9%	724	54.6%
	Accidental (e.g. therapeutic errors)	244	26.4%	8888	51.4%	1486	43.9%	548	41.4%
	Drug misuse	1	0.1%	56	0.3%	6	0.2%	2	0.2%
	Other/Unknown	45	4.9%	403	2.3%	103	3.0%	51	3.8%
Exposure type	Acute (<1 h)	643	69.5%	11 602	67.1%	2238	66.1%	761	57.4%
	Staggered (1–24 h)	89	9.6%	3361	19.4%	447	13.2%	208	15.7%
	Subacute (1 day to 1 month)	22	2.4%	1142	6.6%	204	6.0%	97	7.3%
	Chronic (>1 month)	1	0.1%	142	0.8%	27	0.8%	22	1.7%
	Acute on chronic	5	0.5%	11	0.1%	8	0.2%	4	0.3%
	Acute on therapeutic	146	15.8%	844	4.9%	399	11.8%	191	14.4%
	Other/Unknown	19	2.1%	200	1.1%	62	1.9%	42	3.2%