title: Cyanide fatalities: case studies of four suicides and one homicide.
abstract: Deaths due to cyanide poisoning are relatively rare, largely owing to the restricted availability of cyanide. Nevertheless, the authors report five cases of cyanide fatalities occurring within a few months. Cyanide is one of the most rapidly acting poisons known and is still used for suicide and homicide. The discussion focuses on the circumstances, metabolic changes, pathophysiology, blood levels, diagnosis, and management of cyanide poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Legal Medicine, Bonn, Germany. f.musshoff@uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Musshoff
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daldrup
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003486:Cyanides / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides