Arsenic poisoning. Ongoing diagnostic and social problem.

Arsenic, commonly found in insecticides, herbicides, and industrial materials, is involved in the majority of heavy metal poisonings reported in the United States. Accidental poisoning appears to be most common in the pediatric age-group, whereas intentional and covert poisonings predominate in adults. Diagnosis is often difficult. The clinical presentations of arsenic poisoning, both acute and chronic types, represent a wide spectrum, largely dependent on route of exposure, chemical form, and dose. Because the patient or others providing the history may suppress information on exposure and because toxic levels of arsenic in the system drop rapidly in the first 24 hours, swift administration of diagnostic tests is important. Physician follow-up is determined by the route of exposure to arsenic and may involve referral to a social service network or a mental health facility.