Premium
Cyanide Poisoning and Its Treatment
Author(s) -
Gracia Rebeca,
Shepherd Greene
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1592/phco.24.14.1358.43149
Subject(s) - cyanide , cyanide poisoning , sodium thiosulfate , amyl nitrite , sodium nitrite , toxicity , toxicology , chemistry , medicine , food science , organic chemistry , biology , anesthesia
Cyanide is both widely available and easily accessible throughout the world. Although the compound is not frequently encountered, it has been used as a poison and contaminant in the past and is a potential terrorist agent. Cyanide has the ability to cause significant social disruption and demands special attention to public health preparedness. It can be obtained from a variety of sources, including industrial, medical, and even common household products. Another frequently encountered source of cyanide exposure is residential fires. Exposure to high concentrations of the chemical can result in death within seconds to minutes. Long‐term effects from cyanide exposure can cause significant morbidity. The only treatment for cyanide toxicity approved for use in the United States is a kit consisting of amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, and sodium thiosulfate. Future research aims to find a faster‐acting, more effective, and better tolerated treatment for cyanide toxicity.