Saltpeter ingestion.
A 37-year-old man presented to the emergency department after an attempt to self-treat his priapism with saltpeter (K+NO3). Initially he had a potassium of 7.6 with electrocardiographic changes and a markedly elevated CO2. The potassium and carbon dioxide normalized in less than 24 hours with standard treatment for hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia is expected with large oral potassium ingestion; and the elevated CO2 was spurious, caused by the misreading of serum nitrates by the Ektachrom 700 system. Ingestion of K+NO3 should be added to the differential of hyperkalemia with a markedly elevated CO2.
Sporer
K A
KA
Section of Emergency Medicine, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans.
Mayer
A P
AP
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000506:poisoning*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000150:complications*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D011317:Priapism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009566:Nitrates; D011137:Polystyrenes; D017680:Potassium Compounds; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid; C023844:potassium nitrate