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Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic staff

The first step in treating all degrees of lead poisoning is to remove the source of the contamination. If you can't remove lead from your environment, you may at least be able to reduce the likelihood that it will cause problems. For instance, sometimes it might be better to seal in, rather than remove, old lead paint. Your local health department can recommend ways to identify and reduce lead in your home and community.

For children and adults with relatively low lead levels, simply avoiding exposure to lead may be enough to reduce blood lead levels.

Treating higher levels
For more-severe cases, your doctor may recommend:

  • Chelation therapy. In this treatment, you take a medication that binds with the lead so that it's excreted in your urine.
  • EDTA therapy. Doctors treat lead levels greater than 45 mcg/dL of blood with a chemical called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Depending on your lead level, you may need more than one treatment. In such severe cases, however, it may not be possible to reverse damage that has already occurred.
Prevention Tests and diagnosis

  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
  • Poisoning: First aid

    • Related Links
    Related Guides
    Children
    Parent
References
  1. Markowitz M. Lead poisoning. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
  2. Hurwitz RL. Childhood lead poisoning: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
  3. McGuigan MA. Chronic poisoning: Trace metals and others. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
  4. At-risk populations: Pregnant women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/pregnant.htm. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
  5. Goldman RH, et al. Adult lead poisoning. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 14, 2011.
  6. Folk medicine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/folkmedicine.htm. Accessed Jan. 17, 2011.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Lead poisoning associated with use of litargirio: Rhode Island, 2003. MMWR. 2005:54;227. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5409a5.htm. Accessed Jan. 17, 2011.
  8. Lee DA, et al. Childhood lead poisoning: Exposure and prevention. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 17, 2011.
  9. Lead in paint, dust and soil. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm. Accessed Jan. 18, 2011.
  10. International adoption and prevention of lead poisoning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/adoption.htm. Accessed Jan. 18, 2011.
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Recommendations for blood lead screening of Medicaid-eligible children aged 1-5 years: An updated approach to targeting a group at high risk. MMWR. 2009;58:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5809a1.htm. Accessed Jan. 18, 2011.
FL00068 March 12, 2011

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