clinical effects according to current flow

Last reviewed 01/2018

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.