Diagnosis cyanide poisoning

Diagnosis Cyanide poisoning from toxic dose of nitroprusside. 

Ballantyne, B. and T.C. Marrs. 1987b. Post-mortem features and criteria for the diagnosis of acute lethal cyanide poisoning. Pages 217-247 in B. Ballantyne and T.C. Marrs (eds.). Clinical and Experimental Toxicology of Cyanides. Wright, Bristol. 

The onset of toxicity after cyanide poisoning is very fast. The prognosis of the victim depends on termination of further exposure, supportive care, and institution of immediate and aggressive specific treatment. Early diagnosis and clinical information would enhance the chances of recovery. The first principle of therapy is termination of further exposure, which can be facilitated by the following (a) remove the victim from the contaminated atmosphere. 

Ballantyne, B. (1974). The forensic diagnosis of acute cyanide poisoning. n Forensic Toxicology (B. Ballantyne, ed.), pp. 99-113. Wright Publishers, Bristol, England. 

Cruz-Landeria A, Lopez-Rivadulla M, Concheiro-Carro L, Ferndndez-Gomez P, Tabernero-Duque MJ. A new spectrophotometric method for the toxicological diagnosis of cyanide poisoning. J Anal Toxicol 2000 24 266-70. 

Johnson, R. P., Mellors, J. W. (1988). Arteriolization of venous blood gases A clue to the diagnosis of cyanide poisoning. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 6, 401-404. 

Borron, S.W. and Buad, E.J., Acute cyanide poisoning clinical spectrum, diagnosis and treatment, Arh. Hig. Rada. ToksikoL, 47, 307-322, 1996. 

Megarhane, B. and Baud, F., Cyanide poisoning diagnosis and antidote choice in an emergency situation, Clin. 

Vamell, R.M., Stimac, G.K., and Fligner, C.L., CT diagnosis of toxic brain injury in cyanide poisoning considerations for forensic medicine. Am. J. NeuroradioL, 8, 1063-1066, 1987. 

Ellenhorn, M.J., Schonwald,., Ordog, G., et al., 1997. Cyanide poisoning. In Ellenhorn, M.J., Schonwald,., Ordog, G., Wasserberger, J. (Eds.), Ellenhorn s Medical Toxicology Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning, second ed. Williams Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, pp. 1476-1484. 

Dicobalt edetate. Cobalt forms stable, nontoxic complexes with cyanide. It is toxic (especially if the wrong diagnosis is made and no cyanide is present), causing hypertension, tachycardia and chest pain consequent cobalt poisoning is treated by giving sodium calcium edetate and i.v. glucose. 

Cyanide is a powerfnl intracellular poison that acts rapidly dne to its good lipid and water solnbility, and can qnickly canse profound hypoxia in vital organs resnlting in death. Prompt diagnosis and timely, effective use of antidotes is critical for the severely poisoned patient. 

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