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Mercury oxycyanide and mercuric cyanide poisoning: Two cases

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Benaissa, ML Hantson, Philippe [UCL] Bismuth, C Baud, FJ.

Background: Although cyanide poisoning can be serious or fatal, it is typically described as mild when the cyanide is ingested in the form of either mercuric cyanide or mercury oxycyanide. Methods: We studied two patients with acute cyanide poisoning following ingestion of one of these two agents in each case. Results: Both patients demonstrated features of life-threatening cyanide poisoning, including hemodynamic instability, severe lactic acidosis, and high blood cyanide concentration. One of the patients died, while the second demonstrated signs of mercury intoxication (acute renal failure and severe gastrointestinal symptoms), in addition to cyanide intoxication. Conclusion: Ingestion of either mercuric cyanide or mercury oxycyanide can result in life-threatening cyanide intoxication.

Document type Article de périodique (Journal article) – Article de recherche
Access type Accès restreint
Publication date 1995
Language Anglais
Journal information "Intensive Care Medicine" - Vol. 21, no. 12, p. 1051-1053 (1995)
Peer reviewed yes
Publisher Springer Verlag (New York)
issn 0342-4642
e-issn 1432-1238
Publication status Publié
Affiliations UCL - Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc
UCL
Keywords cyanide ; mercury ; poisoning
Links
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Bibliographic reference Benaissa, ML ; Hantson, Philippe ; Bismuth, C ; Baud, FJ.. Mercury oxycyanide and mercuric cyanide poisoning: Two cases. In: Intensive Care Medicine, Vol. 21, no. 12, p. 1051-1053 (1995)
Permanent URL http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/47440