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Clinical effects according to current flow

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Electric shock has a variable effect according to the amount of current flowing:

  • less than 1mA - tingling
  • 5 to 30 mA - "let go shock"; at levels greater than this, the victim is unable to let go of a gripped electrical source due to muscular spasm
  • 40 to 50 mA - causes respiratory arrest
  • greater than 100 mA - causes ventricular fibrillation
  • more than 10 A - prolonged apnoea

The maximum current in a domestic supply in the UK is 13 amps.

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