Amyl nitrite overdosage

Amyl nitrite
Amyl nitrite tablet® FDA Package Insert
Indications and Usage
Dosage and Administration
Contraindications
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Overdosage
Description
Clinical Pharmacology
How Supplied/Storage and Handling
Patient Counseling Information
Labels and Packages
Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Pratik Bahekar, MBBS [2]

Overdosage

Symptons

Inhaled doses of 5 to 10 drops of amyl nitrite may cause violent flushing of the face, accompanied by a feeling of imminent bursting of the head and very excessive heart action. The inhalation of larger amounts may produce a feeling of suffocation and muscular weakness. Symptons comparable to shock may be produced such as weakness, restlessness, sweating, pallor, nausea, vomiting, syncope and incontinence attributable to pooling of blood in the postarteriolar vessels and failure of the venous blood to return to the heart.

Treatment

Measures which facilitate venous return such as head low posture, deep breathing and movement of extremities may be used. The use of epinephrine aggravates the shock like reaction. Methylene blue should be injected for treatment of severe methemoglobinemia with dyspnea. For treating cyanide poisoning, methylene blue is contraindicated where nitrites cause iatrogenic methemoglobinemia.