Delayed salicylate toxicity with undetectable initial levels after large-dose aspirin ingestion.

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), the most commonly used medicinal salicylate, is an antiinflammatory, antipyretic, antirheumatic, and analgesic agent. In 2005, according to the Toxic Exposures Survey from the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poisoning and Exposure Database, there were more than 20,000 reported aspirin and nonaspirin salicylate exposures, 64% of which required treatment in a health care facility. Of these exposures, 50% were reported as intentional overdoses and 60 patients died.