Hydrogen cyanamide is used in agriculture as a plant growth regulator. It is a highly toxic compound that can affect multiple body systems.
Systems affected:
(1) respiratory
(2) cardiovascular
(3) gastrointestinal tract
(4) neurologic
(5) ocular
(6) skin
(7) metabolic
Respiratory findings:
(1) bronchospasm or worsening of asthma
(2) dyspnea (may be part of the acetaldehyde syndrome)
Cardiovascular findings:
(1) tachycardia with palpitations
(2) hypertension
(3) hypotension (may be part of the acetaldehyde syndrome)
Gastrointestinal tract findings:
(1) nausea and vomiting (may be part of the acetaldehyde syndrome)
(2) reflux and heartburn
(3) oral mucositis
(4) throat irritation
Neurologic findings
(1) dizziness
(2) agitation
(3) confusion (may be part of the acetaldehyde syndrome)
(4) delirium
(5) tremors
(6) weakness
(7) paresthesias
(8) sweating
(9) headache
(10) parasympathetic hyperactivity (may be part of the acetaldehyde syndrome)
Ocular findings:
(1) conjunctivitis
(2) miosis
(3) corneal ulceration
(4) ocular chemical burn
Skin findings:
(1) erythema or dermatitis
(2) edema
(3) chemical burn
(4) skin ulceration
Metabolic:
(1) acetaldehyde syndrome following alcohol use (disulfiram-like reaction, see notes above)
Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
ICD-10: ,