Zinc Health Article

Definition

Zinc is a type of metal. It is mixed with other materials to make industrial items such as paint, dyes, ointments, and more.

This article discusses poisoning from zinc.

Poisonous Ingredient

Zinc

Where Found

• Rust prevention coatings
• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Zinc chloride
• Zinc oxide (relatively nonharmful)
• Zinc acetate
• Zinc sulfate
• Heated or burned galvanized metal (releases zinc fumes)

• Compounds used to make paint, rubber, dyes, wood preservatives, and ointments.

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

• Burning sensation (body)
• Metallic taste
• Body pain
• Shock
• No urine output
• Collapse
• Convulsions
• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Yellow eyes or yellow skin
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Watery or bloody diarrhea
• Low blood pressure

Home Treatment

Seek immediate medical help.

Immediately give the person milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
• When it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Fluids (water or milk)
• A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)
• Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison

Expectations (prognosis)

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery. If symptoms are mild, the person will usually make a full recovery . If the poisoning is severe, death may occur up to a week after swallowing the poison.