Cyanide Poisoning

Cyanide poisoning makes the body unable to use life sustaining oxygen.  Although rare, cyanide is potentially a deadly poison.  Cyanide poisoning can occur from a list of different things. Cyanide poisoning can occur from smoke inhalation caused by a fire due to the burning of items such as silk, plastic and rubber. Other factors such as chemical research, metal processing, photography, synthetic plastics and electroplating industries that use cyanide can cause poisoning.  Effects of cyanide poisoning are very similar to effects of suffocation.  Cyanide symptoms are very similar to those of hiking at high altitudes.  The most common side effects are:  shortness of breath, general weakness, excessive sleepiness, bizarre behavior, confusion, seizures headache and dizziness.  A person that has been infected by cyanide poisoning may have pink or cherry red skin due to the oxygen staying in the blood and not getting into the cells.  Very fast or slow heartbeat as well as breathing heavy may be a sign as well. 

Treatment for cyanide poisoning can vary from stomach pumping to hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments.  Cyanide poisoning cannot be treated at home. It does require immediate medical attention.  Although cyanide poisoning can be a death sentence it can also be a curable one if caught in the proper amount of time.