Macroshock (mak´ro-shok″) is a medical term for the effects of body exposed to electrical current, which can lead to severe injury or death by
electrocution
Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death.
The term "electrocution" was coined ...
. It is used most often in the medical field, but is also commonly used in the fields of electrophysiology and bioengineering. Definitions of the term are inconsistent; there are three most commonly accepted definitions. Depending upon the medical text used, a macroshock is either:
* A strong electric shock resulting from current that has passed through the trunk or head, with contact to the source through intact skin. Under this definition, a macroshock is almost always lethal due to causing
ventricular fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib or VF) is an abnormal heart rhythm in which the ventricles of the heart quiver. It is due to disorganized electrical activity. Ventricular fibrillation results in cardiac arrest with loss of consciousness and no p ...
of the heart.
* The passage of current from one part of the body to another, especially from arm to arm and therefore through the heart. By this definition, the magnitude of the current itself (in
Amperes
The ampere (, ; symbol: A), often shortened to amp,SI supports only the use of symbols and deprecates the use of abbreviations for units. is the unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI). One ampere is equal to elect ...
) is the most important factor. In general, the greater the current, the more dangerous a shock is and the more likely it is to be lethal. Therefore, a high-voltage, low-current shock is not dangerous, but a low-voltage, high-current shock may cause significant harm or death.
* The passage of current between two different areas of skin. Whether or not the head or heart is involved is not considered in this definition. Therefore, such a shock might not be lethal, although it may cause severe damage via
electrical breakdown
Electrical breakdown or dielectric breakdown is a process that occurs when an electrical insulating material, subjected to a high enough voltage, suddenly becomes an electrical conductor and electric current flows through it. All insulating mate ...
of the skin.
[''Medical Devices: Use and Safety'' By Bertil Jacobson, Alan Murray pg.33 preview in Google books]
Sources of macroshock
Possible sources of macroshock include: poorly designed or malfunctioning
electrophysiology
Electrophysiology (from Greek , ''ēlektron'', "amber" etymology of "electron"">Electron#Etymology">etymology of "electron" , ''physis'', "nature, origin"; and , '' -logia'') is the branch of physiology that studies the electrical properties of b ...
equipment,
Lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...
, damaged power cords or other electrical hazards around the household, downed power lines, high-voltage electrical equipment such as transformer stations and other industrial electrical equipment, and malfunctioning electrical or electricity-using mechanical equipment capable of delivering a strong current, or which operates at a high voltage.
See also
*
Microshock
Microshock refers to the risk that patients undergoing medical procedures involving externally protruding intracardiac electrical conductors, such as external pacemaker electrodes, or saline filled catheters, could suffer an electric shock causin ...
*
Electric shock
Electrical injury is a physiological reaction caused by electric current passing through the body. The injury depends on the density of the current, tissue resistance and duration of contact. Very small currents may be imperceptible or produce ...
*
Electrocution
Electrocution is death or severe injury caused by electric shock from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death.
The term "electrocution" was coined ...
*
High voltage
High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant spec ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Cardiac electrophysiology