Cyanide poisoning is a condition when a person accidentally inhales or ingests cyanide, which results in complaints of difficulty breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, or cardiac arrest. These signs and symptoms can get worse quickly, and can even lead to death.
Cyanide is a chemical compound that can be found in gaseous or crystalline form. Some of the dangerous types of cyanide are hydrogen cyanide, chloride cyanide, sodium cyanide, and potassium cyanide. Exposure to cyanide will cause the body's cells to lack oxygen, so that their function is disrupted and then they die.
Causes of Cyanide Poisoning
Cyanide is a chemical compound that is often used to eradicate pests and insects. These chemical compounds are also used in various industries, such as paper, textiles, plastics, or mining.
In addition, cyanide can also be present in cigarette smoke or smoke from burning plastic. Cyanide in gaseous form is generally colorless but has a characteristic "almond smell".
In addition to having a dangerous form, cyanide can also be found in the form of cyanogen. This cyanogen substance can be found in several types of food, such as cassava, apricot seeds, plum seeds, peach seeds, and apple seeds.
Cyanide poisoning can occur when a person is exposed to cyanide, either through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion of cyanide. Because it is often used in certain industries, the risk of cyanide poisoning will be higher in several fields of work, namely:
- Photography
- agriculture
- Metal trading
- Mining
- Plastic, paper and cloth processing
- Coloring
- Jewelry making
- Chemical
Symptoms of Cyanide Poisoning
When exposed to cyanide, the body's cells will experience a lack of oxygen. As a result, the body's cells will experience damage and death. Symptoms and complaints that occur when a person experiences cyanide poisoning can occur quickly.
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning will depend on the amount of cyanide inhaled or ingested. When exposed to large amounts, cyanide will cause damage to cells, tissues, and organs, in a short time. Some of the symptoms that can arise are:
- Seizures
- Difficult to breathe
- Loss of consciousness
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Stop breathing
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
- Cardiac arrest and heart failure
Cyanide poisoning can also cause skin discoloration to become reddish. This is because oxygen is trapped in the blood and cannot enter the body's cells.
Meanwhile, when exposed to small amounts of cyanide, complaints will generally appear, such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fast breathing, fast heart rate, weakness, fatigue, and headaches.
When to go to the doctor
Cyanide poisoning is a dangerous condition. Immediately to the doctor or emergency room if you or someone around you experience the complaints mentioned above.
If you work in an industry that increases your risk of cyanide exposure, check with your doctor if you are accidentally exposed to a substance containing cyanide.
Cyanide Poisoning Diagnosis
When the patient experiences the above complaints, the doctor will perform a thorough examination, while performing first aid. The doctor will also ask the patient's activity, occupation, and food and drink history from the person who brought the patient to the hospital.
To determine whether the patient has cyanide poisoning, a blood test will be performed. This examination is done to see the concentration of cyanide, oxygen levels, lactate levels, carbon monoxide levels, and methemoglobin in the blood. However, these checks take time and are not necessarily available in an emergency.
Cyanide Poisoning Treatment
Keep in mind that treatment due to exposure to cyanide poison can only be done by medical personnel. However, you can take first aid measures if you or someone else is exposed to cyanide, in the following ways:
- In the event of a fire, move away from the area so you don't breathe polluted air. Immediately get out of the room contaminated with cyanide gas and get fresh air.
- If you cannot get out of the room in the event of a fire, get as close to the ground as possible and protect your breath.
- If your eyes feel hot and your vision is blurry from the fire, run your eyes with water for 10-15 minutes, then wash your hair and body with soap and water for 20 minutes and then rinse.
- If you accidentally ingest cyanide, don't drink anything and don't try to make yourself vomit.
- If clothes or items stuck to your body are exposed to cyanide, remove them immediately and put them in a closed plastic bag, then cover them with a plastic bag.
When you see someone suspected of having cyanide poisoning, take the person out into the open. If you have received basic life support training, you can perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) techniques on someone suspected of having cyanide poisoning and experiencing cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Keep in mind, don't occasionally do rescue breaths mouth to mouth or word of mouth to a person suspected of having cyanide poisoning.
You should be careful handling people whose skin or clothing has been exposed to cyanide. The best thing you can do is to contact a medical officer so you don't get exposed to cyanide.
Patients suspected of having cyanide poisoning will be given oxygen immediately. In patients with respiratory arrest, endotracheal intubation will be performed, which involves inserting a breathing tube into the throat to assist breathing. Furthermore, monitoring and drug administration will be carried out, such as:
- Cyanide antidote (antidote), such as sodium thiosulfate, amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, or hydroxycobalamin, to speed up the detoxification process
- Epinephrine, to help the heart and blood vessels to circulate oxygen
- Activated charcoal, for patients who are poisoned by ingesting cyanide if poisoning is still within 4 hours
- Sodium bicarbonate, for patients with acidosis
- Anti-seizure medications, such as lorazepam, midazolam, and phenobarbital, to relieve seizures
Complications Cyanide Poisoning
If the symptoms of cyanide poisoning are mild enough and treatment can be done immediately, this condition can generally recover completely without causing complications. However, if exposure to cyanide occurs in large quantities, it can damage nerves, heart, brain, and even cause death.
Some conditions that can occur as a result of acute or chronic cyanide poisoning are:
- Heart failure
- Seizures
- Coma
Prevention Cyanide Poisoning
Cyanide poisoning is not always preventable. However, there are several things that can be done to reduce the risk of cyanide poisoning, namely:
- Prevent fires by avoiding unsafe heating and halogen lamps
- Do not smoke, especially near flammable surfaces, such as in bed
- Make sure any materials or objects that can start a fire are out of reach of children
- Follow work safety regulations when working with cyanide, including using protective equipment and always covering the workbench with absorbent paper
- Store work tools that have a risk of cyanide exposure in the space provided and do not take them home