Mercury

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
• The time it was swallowed, inhaled, or touched
• The amount swallowed, inhaled, or touched

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.

ELEMENTAL MERCURY

Inhaled elemental mercury poisoning may be difficult to treat. The patient may receive:

• Humidified oxygen or air
• Breathing tube into the lungs
• Suctioning of mercury out of the lungs
• Medication to remove mercury and heavy metals from the body

INORGANIC MERCURY

For inorganic mercury poisoning, treatment usually begins with supportive care. The patient may receive:

• Fluids by IV (into a vein)
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Activated charcoal, a medicine that soaks up many substances from the stomach
• Medicines called chelators to remove mercury from the blood

ORGANIC MERCURY

Treatment of organic mercury usually consists of medicines called chelators to remove mercury from the blood and away from the brain and kidneys. Often, these medications will have to be used for weeks to months.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Breathing in a small amount of elemental mercury will cause very few, if any, long-term side effects. However, larger amounts will lead to a long hospital stay. Permanent lung damage is likely. There may be some brain damage. Very large exposures will likely cause death.

A large overdose of inorganic mercury may cause massive blood and fluid loss, kidney failure, and likely death.

Chronic brain damage from organic mercury is difficult to treat. Although some people never recover, some success has been described in patients treated with chelation.

References

Sue YJ. Mercury. In: Goldfrank LR, Flomenbaum NE, Lewin NA, et al. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 7th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2002:1239-1247.

Ford MD. Clinical Toxicology. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2001: 732-742.

Foulke JE. Mercury in Fish: A Cause for Concern. FDA Consumer Magazine. September 1994.