List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Table of Contents Expand. What Is Cyanide? How Cyanide Poisons. Exposure to Cyanide. Symptoms of Cyanide Poisoning. How Much Cyanide Is Lethal? Is there a Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning? Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.
Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated November 18, Featured Video. View Article Sources. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. In medicine, cyanide can be found in the widely used anti-hypertensive, sodium nitroprusside, each molecule of which contains 5 molecules of cyanide. The most common cause of cyanide poisoning is smoke inhalation in fires.
The use of cyanide in warfare dates to the Franco-Prussian War , during which Napoleon III urged his troops to dip their bayonet tips in the poison. Roman Emperor Nero also used cyanide-containing cherry laurel water as a poison.
This poisonous compound poses an ongoing threat as a weapon of terrorism, whether it is delivered in oral form via sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide or as a gas via hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen chloride. Cyanide poisons the mitochondrial electron transport chain within cells and renders the body unable to derive energy adenosine triphosphate-ATP from oxygen. Specifically, it binds to the a3 portion complex IV of cytochrome oxidase and prevents cells from using oxygen, causing rapid death.
When ingested as sodium or potassium cyanide, the lethal dose is mg. Cyanide kills quickly: death occurs within seconds of a lethal dose of cyanide gas and within minutes of ingestion of a lethal dose of cyanide salt. The central nervous system CNS and cardiovascular systems are chiefly affected. Signs and symptoms of cyanide poisoning include the following:.
Cardiovascular : decreased inotropy, bradycardia followed by reflex tachycardia, hypotension, and pulmonary edema; and. Survivors may suffer Parkinson's disease, ataxia, optic atrophy, and other neurological disorders. Cyanide intoxication is largely a clinical diagnosis; however, several laboratory features are suggestive:.
If you suspect you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of severe cyanide poisoning, seek immediate emergency medical attention. Your outlook will depend on the type of cyanide present, the dose, and how long you were exposed.
Early diagnosis and treatment are key to reducing your risk of complications. Moderate levels of acute or chronic exposure may also be resolved with quick diagnosis and treatment. In severe cases, symptoms are often sudden and life-threatening.
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Learn what to do if you suspect you have isopropyl alcohol poisoning. For more information on sheltering in place during a chemical emergency, see Facts About Sheltering in Place. If you think you may have been exposed to cyanide, you should remove your clothing, rapidly wash your entire body with soap and water, and get medical care as quickly as possible. Removing your clothing: Quickly take off clothing that may have cyanide on it.
Any clothing that has to be pulled over the head should be cut off the body instead of pulled over the head. If you are helping other people remove their clothing, try to avoid touching any contaminated areas, and remove the clothing as quickly as possible. Washing yourself: As quickly as possible, wash any cyanide from your skin with large amounts of soap and water. Washing with soap and water will help protect people from any chemicals on their bodies.
If your eyes are burning or your vision is blurred, rinse your eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you wear contacts, remove them and put them with the contaminated clothing. Do not put the contacts back in your eyes even if they are not disposable contacts. If you wear eyeglasses, wash them with soap and water.
You can put your eyeglasses back on after you wash them. If you are wearing jewelry that you can wash with soap and water, you can wash it and put it back on. If it cannot be washed, it should be put with the contaminated clothing. Disposing of your clothes: After you have washed yourself, place your clothing inside a plastic bag. Avoid touching contaminated areas of the clothing.
An alternative method is to put the clothes in the bag using tongs, tool handles, sticks, or similar objects. Anything that touches the contaminated clothing should also be placed in the bag. If you wear contacts, put them in the plastic bag, too.
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