Nitrous Dioxide Toxicity Treatment & Management

  • Author: Jeffrey S Peterson, MD; Chief Editor: Asim Tarabar, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 15, 2012
 

Prehospital Care

  • Direct prehospital care towards stabilization of pulmonary function. These actions should include removal of the patient from the source of exposure, provision of supplemental oxygen, and, if needed, airway management and ventilatory support.
  • Be aware of the risk of exposure when treating patients and wear a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), when indicated.
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Emergency Department Care

  • The primary treatment of nitrous dioxide (NO2)-induced respiratory illness is supportive therapy directed at correction of hypoxemia, ventilatory failure, and secondary infection.
  • Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation may be required, depending on the clinical degree of respiratory distress and hypoxemia.
  • High-dose corticosteroids are suggested in the treatment of pulmonary manifestations, but data on their prophylactic use after NO2 exposure is anecdotal.
  • Most authors agree that patients with bronchiolitis obliterans should be maintained on corticosteroids until their symptoms have resolved.
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Consultations

  • Consult with a regional poison control center or a local medical toxicologist (certified through the American Board of Medical Toxicology and/or the American Board of Emergency Medicine) to obtain additional information and patient care recommendations.
  • Prolonged critical care management is often required for the pulmonary complications of those patients who require endotracheal intubation.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Jeffrey S Peterson, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery/Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University Hospital; Founder and Sports Medicine Physician, Innovative Sports Medicine

Jeffrey S Peterson, MD, is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, Massachusetts Medical Society, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Suzanne M Miller, MD  Clinical Instructor, Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, INOVA Fairfax Hospital; Chief Executive Officer, MDadmit

Suzanne M Miller, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Charles B Cairns, MD  Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Consulting Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University Medical School and Duke Clinical Research Institute

Charles B Cairns, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Heart Association, American Thoracic Society, American Trauma Society, European Respiratory Society, New York Academy of Sciences, Sigma Xi, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Miguel C Fernandez, MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FACMT, FACCT  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery/Emergency Medicine and Toxicology, University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio; Medical and Managing Director, South Texas Poison Center

Miguel C Fernandez, MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FACMT, FACCT is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Clinical Toxicologists, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD  Regional Director of Pharmacy, Sacred Heart and St Joseph's Hospitals

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Fred Harchelroad, MD, FACMT, FAAEM, FACEP  Director of Medical Toxicology, Allegheny General Hospital

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Asim Tarabar, MD  Assistant Professor, Director, Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  5. van Strien RT, Gent JF, Belanger K, et al. Exposure to NO2 and nitrous acid and respiratory symptoms in the first year of life. Epidemiology. Jul 2004;15(4):471-8. [Medline].

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  17. Prutz WA, Monig H, Butler J, Land EJ. Reactions of nitrogen dioxide in aqueous model systems: oxidation of tyrosine units in peptides and proteins. Arch Biochem Biophys. Nov 15 1985;243(1):125-34. [Medline].

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  19. van Bree L, Rietjens I, Alink GM, et al. Biochemical and morphological changes in lung tissue and isolated lung cells of rats induced by short-term nitrogen dioxide exposure. Hum Exp Toxicol. Jul 2000;19(7):392-401. [Medline].

  20. Veeramachaneni NK, Harken AH, Cairns CB. Clinical implications of hemoglobin as a nitric oxide carrier. Arch Surg. Apr 1999;134(4):434-7. [Medline].

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Bronchiolitis obliterans following exposure to nitrogen dioxide. (Radiograph courtesy of Dr Ann Leung, Stanford University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Palo Alto, CA)
Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema following exposure to nitrogen dioxide. (Radiograph courtesy of Dr Ann Leung, Stanford University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Palo Alto, CA)
 
 
 
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