Suicidal sodium azide ingestion.
Sodium azide (NaN3) is a highly reactive, toxic, widely used chemical. Although industrial exposure is common, fatal ingestion is rare. We describe the case of a 30-year-old man who ingested 15 to 20 g of sodium azide. He became comatose within two hours and eventually expired from a combination of acidosis, respiratory depression, and ventricular fibrillation. In sufficient doses, sodium azide is rapidly fatal and there is no effective treatment.
Abrams
J
J
Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06032.
el-Mallakh
R S
RS
Meyer
R
R
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001386:Azides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D019810:Sodium Azide; D013405:Suicide
D001386:Azides; D019810:Sodium Azide