antidote

[avicenna]

Hello,

what is the antidote of the nitrites?? is it Cyanide?

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

overdose of nitrates produces a condition called methemoglobinemia, the same condition that occurs with ingestion of cyanide. the treatment for both is methylene blue.

• recognizing and treating methemoglobinemia: a rare but dangerous complication of topical anesthetic or nitrate overdose - methemoglobinemia is a rare but dangerous complication of topical anesthetic overdose administration or exposure to nitrate-containing substances in the hospital or community. paradoxically, although the patient may present with cyanosis with low oxygen saturation levels, they will not respond to oxygen therapy. treatment is slow intravenous administration of a titrated dose of methylene blue.
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/methemoglobinemia

[lainith]

Methylene blue? Really. Awesome.

[MikeyJ, RN]

And if I remember correctly, when patients are taking a nitrite, cyanide levels are drawn periodically because they can turn into cyanide in the body.

[ICUgeek]

what's the difference between a nitrite and a nitrate?

am I correct in saying methlyene blue is used as an antidote for all inhalants containing hydrocarbons (kerosene, turpentine, lighter fluid, moth balls, etc)?

this is pretty interesting stuff...

[MikeyJ, RN]

And if I remember correctly, when patients are taking a nitrite, cyanide levels are drawn periodically because they can turn into cyanide in the body.

I take back what I said earlier-- it is Nitroprusside (Nipride) that you need to monitor the cyanide levels. I went back to my critical care notes and looked it up.