Hydrofluoric acid poisoning

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Hydrofluoric acid poisoning

Alternative Names:

Fluohydric acid

Symptoms:

From swallowing:

Severe pain in the mouth
Fever
Inability to breathe as the throat swells shut
Severe throat pain
Severe abdominal pain
Vomiting
Rapid drop in blood pressure
Ventricular fibrillation

From breathing in (inhaling) the acid:

Chills
Fever
Tight chest
Coughing
Fluid in the lungs
Choking
Bluish colored lips and fingernails

References:

Wilkes G. Hydrofluoric Acid Burns. eMedicine. Available at: http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic804.htm Accessed August 12, 2005.

Chemical Emergencies: Case Definition: Hydrofluoric Acid. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2005.

Seamens CM, Seger DL, Meredith T. Hydrofluoric acid. In: Ford MD, Delaney KA, Ling LJ, Erickson T, eds. Clinical toxicology. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders; 2001:1019-26.

Review Date: 8/8/2005
Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone M.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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