Dr. Ebraheim’s educational animated video describes the condition of lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning can occur when lead builds up within the body, usually over a long period of time. This excessive amount of lead in the body can cause serious health problems. Young children are vulnerable to lead poisoning. It can affect their mental and physical development.
What is lead poisoning? It is a medical condition caused by increased levels of lead within the body that interferes with the normal processes of the body and it particularly toxic to children.
Why does this happen? Lead and calcium compete for the protein that is important for body functions, especially the nervous system. The lead can displace the calcium from that protein so the calcium will not be able to function properly.
How can we simplify the signs and symptoms of lead poisoning? Lines gingiva and long bones. Encephalopathy and erythrocyte basophilic stippling. Abdominal colic and anemia. Drop foot and drop wrist.
Lead inhibits the enzymes that are needed to make Heme. This means that lead interferes with the making of hemoglobin. There will be basophilic stippling of the cells because lead inhibits the ribosomal RNA degradation. The red blood cells will retain aggregates of ribosomal RNA that causes the stippling of the cells. There will be a “lead line” in the gingiva (gums) called the Burton’s line. The long bones will also have lead lines in the metaphysis that appear like white bands on x-ray because the lead is collected within these white bands. The width and density of these lead lines reflects chronic exposure.
At the RBC level, you will find anemia and also basophilic stippling of the red blood cells. The patient will also have encephalopathy associated with headache and memory loss. The patient may also have abdominal colic (pain, cramps and constipation).
Another condition that may occur due to lead poisoning is foot drop. The patient may experience permanent damage to the central nervous system and the peripheral nerves. This condition usually occurs from exposure to lead based pain typically used in much older homes. Particles from the lead based pain is ingested through the air or lead contamination may occur from contaminated drinking water. Exposure to lead for a long period of time may cause serious health problems!
Children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning. They typically will show signs of:
•Irritability
•Fatigue
•Lower IQ
•Lack of attentiveness.
The child may show signs of encephalopathy, nausea, vomiting, gait disturbances and seizures.
Lead poisoning in adults: exposure is typically occupational related.
•Personality changes
•Headaches
•Neuropathy
•Weakness
•Foot and wrist drop
•Stomach aches
Both children and adults will experience pale skin due to anemia because lead interferes with the normal formation of hemoglobin.
How do you diagnose lead poisoning? History of exposure, cm lead level usually greater than 5 (some people use higher numbers). If a complete blood count (CBC) test is done, you will find microcytic anemia. In peripheral blood smear you will find basophilic stippling (ribosomes). The serum iron is normal.
1.Eliminate the source of the lead contamination.
2.Chelating agent
a. Use of various drugs that help to remove the lead from the body
b. It binds the lead into a form that the body can excrete
c. It is used if lead levels are higher than 45 µg/dL in children and more than 70µg/dL in adults.
d. Dimercaprol (oral chelating agent) is used in encephalopathy
e. Succimer (oral chelating agent) without encephalopathy.
Lead toxicity from bullets
•Lead contamination may occur due to bullet penetration of a joint or introduced into the cerebral spinal fluid
•It may cause severe synovitis and low grade lead poisoning
•This condition is rare, however it can occur
Lead toxicity from soil
•Lead contaminating the ground water may also contaminate the soil.
•Lead poisoning may then occur due to ingestion of the food grown in this soil
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