Therapeutic problems in cyanide poisoning.
In three patients with severe acute cyanide poisoning, a cyanosis was observed instead of the bright pink skin coloration often mentioned as a sign in textbooks. Treatment of cardiopulmonary insufficiency is as essential as antidotal therapy and the use of sodium nitrite and 4-DMAP is not without risk as, in practice, the methemoglobin-level induced is difficult to control.
Department of Reanimation and Clinical Toxicology, State University Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
A N
AN
van Heijst
J M
JM
Douze
R G
RG
van Kesteren
J E
JE
van Bergen
A
A
van Dijk
D000328:Adult; D000627:Aminophenols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced; D003486:Cyanides / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009573:Nitrites / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012977:Sodium Nitrite / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013885:Thiosulfates / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000627:Aminophenols; D003486:Cyanides; D009573:Nitrites; D013885:Thiosulfates; C017717:sodium thiosulfate; D012977:Sodium Nitrite; D008751:Methylene Blue; C020292:4-dimethylaminophenol