Biomaterial Database

Cyanide and thiocyanate concentrations following sodium nitroprusside infusion in man. 1976

C J Vesey, and P V Cole, and P J Simpson

Twenty-six patients, receiving an infusion of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) during surgery, had considerable increases in both red cell and plasma cyanide concentration, but only small changes in plasma thiocyanate concentration. There was a linear relationship between both plasma and RBC cyanide concentrations and the total dose of SNP. The expired cyanide concentration followed the changes in the plasma. We believe that the development of metabolic acidosis, and the recent fatalities involving SNP, are attributable to histotoxic hypoxia as a result of excessive plasma concentrations of cyanide. On the basis of our results, we recommend that the total dose of SNP should not exceed 1.5 mg/kg during short-term infusions and that the plasma cyanide should not exceed 300 nmol%. Plasma thiocyanate concentrations are, in general, an unreliable indication of extent of exposure to cyanide, although they may become important during long-term infusions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007263	Infusions, Parenteral	The administration of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through some other route than the alimentary canal, usually over minutes or hours, either by gravity flow or often by infusion pumping.	Intra-Abdominal Infusions,Intraperitoneal Infusions,Parenteral Infusions,Peritoneal Infusions,Infusion, Intra-Abdominal,Infusion, Intraperitoneal,Infusion, Parenteral,Infusion, Peritoneal,Infusions, Intra-Abdominal,Infusions, Intraperitoneal,Infusions, Peritoneal,Intra Abdominal Infusions,Intra-Abdominal Infusion,Intraperitoneal Infusion,Parenteral Infusion,Peritoneal Infusion
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009599	Nitroprusside	A powerful vasodilator used in emergencies to lower blood pressure or to improve cardiac function. It is also an indicator for free sulfhydryl groups in proteins.	Nitroferricyanide,Sodium Nitroprusside,Cyanonitrosylferrate,Ketostix,Naniprus,Nipride,Nipruton,Nitriate,Nitropress,Nitroprussiat Fides,Nitroprusside, Disodium Salt,Nitroprusside, Disodium Salt, Dihydrate,Disodium Salt Nitroprusside,Nitroprusside, Sodium
D012119	Respiration	The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration (	Breathing
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D003486	Cyanides	Inorganic salts of HYDROGEN CYANIDE containing the -CN radical. The concept also includes isocyanides. It is distinguished from NITRILES, which denotes organic compounds containing the -CN radical.	Cyanide,Isocyanide,Isocyanides
D005260	Female		Females
D005292	Ferricyanides	Inorganic salts of the hypothetical acid, H3Fe(CN)6.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man