zinc toxicity

Etiology

• chronic ingestion of pennies
• excessive zinc supplementation
• metal fume fever

Pathology

• excessive zinc ingestion can suppress copper & iron absorption
• zinc intakes of as little as 150-450 mg/day may induce copper deficiency

Clinical manifestations

• nausea/vomiting
• epigastric pain
• diarrhea
• headache
• fatigue, lethary
• ataxia

Laboratory

• serum Zn+2
• complete blood count
  • anemia
  • neutropenia
• lipid panel: decreases in serum HDL cholesterol

More general terms

• toxicity; poisoning; overdose
• mineral overload

More specific terms

• metal fume fever

Additional terms

• zinc deficiency
• zinc [Zn]
• Zn+2