Poisoning is a clinical condition characterized by sudden or gradual threat of one or more organ systems of the body due to contact with the poison. Data sources from which information on poisoning incidents can be gleaned include mortality data on accidental poisoning and suicide, hospital admission or discharge data and reports from poison information services. Poison Control Center in Croatia receives about 2,000 calls a year, most of which are mild poisoning of accidental type. Acute poisoned patients account for up to 10% of admissions to emergency departments and between 3-6% of poisoned patients are treated at the intensive care units. Most deaths occur outside a hospital, but hospital mortality is low and prognosis is excellent. The pattern of poisoning varies between the developed and undeveloped world. Alcohol intoxications, drug abuse and medications are problems in the developed world and pesticides in the undeveloped. The optimal treatment, which ensures full recovery, consists of supportive care and methods of gastrointestinal decontamination, increased poison elimination and the use of antidotes if possible. Short-term outcome is excellent, but patients with deliberate self-poisoning have increased mortality rate up to 20 years after the episode of poisoning for both natural and unnatural causes. Measures of primary and secondary prevention are needed to decrease incidence of poisoning and improve outcome of patients with deliberate self-poisoning attempt. The efficacy of toxicovigilance and measures for the prevention of poisoning can be enhanced by data consolidation on poisoning from different sources and epidemiological investigations.