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Case Reports
. 2019 Jul 26;12(7):e229947.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019-229947.

Fatality from potassium gold cyanide poisoning

Elizabeth Harmon  1 , Jacob Lebin  1 , David Murphy  1 , Bjorn Watsjold  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Fatality from potassium gold cyanide poisoning

Elizabeth Harmon et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

While potassium cyanide poisoning has been well described, the toxicity of potassium gold cyanide is less well understood. This case describes an 84-year-old man who presented after an intentional ingestion of 0.5-1 teaspoons of potassium gold cyanide. Despite antidotal therapy, the patient rapidly developed severe lactic acidosis, multiorgan dysfunction and ultimately expired. While the patient's clinical findings were consistent with acute cyanide poisoning, a serum cyanide level was below the toxic threshold. Previous reports have suggested that gold toxicity may also contribute to the effects of potassium gold cyanide, and may have played a role in the patient's rapid decline. In addition to treatment of cyanide toxicity, management of acute gold toxicity should also be considered in potassium gold cyanide ingestion.

Keywords: emergency medicine; poisoning.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Bottle of potassium gold cyanide powder, ingested by the patient.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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