Case Report of Zinc Phosphide Poisoning with Rare Symptoms

Zinc phosphide is a rodenticide that is commonly available as grey-black powder and is widely used due to its low cost and high availability. This rodenticide may be consumed deliberately, unintentionally, for suicide purposes, or other purposes. We report the case of a 38-year-old man, who committed suicide by consuming almost 100 grams of zinc phosphide rodenticide and experienced reduced consciousness and cyanosis. The early symptoms of cyanosis included nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, numbness, weakness, blurry vision, epigastric abdominal pain, and pain in the upper and right abdominal sections. The patient also had no history of diabetes mellitus, high blood cholesterol, hypertension, hepatitis, tuberculosis, minor thalassemia, and mental diseases. Zinc phosphide is a life-threatening poison with no specific antidote. Besides, phosphide poisoning including zinc phosphide poisoning must be considered in young patients suffering from sudden hypotension and metabolic acidosis, while abdominal radiography contributes to the early diagnosis of the disease. Finally, rapid recovery and treatment may save the patient’s life.