sodium nitrite at a glance
Medicine class
Cyanide antidote
Licensed use
Life-threatening acute cyanide poisoning
Administration
Slow intravenous injection by trained healthcare professionals
Key safety issue
Can cause low blood pressure and excessive methaemoglobin formation
What is sodium nitrite used for?
The selected UK product is licensed for sequential use with sodium thiosulfate when acute cyanide poisoning is considered life-threatening. Treatment also includes immediate supportive care and decontamination where appropriate.
Life-threatening acute cyanide poisoning
How does sodium nitrite work?
Cyanide prevents cells from using oxygen. Sodium nitrite converts some haemoglobin into methaemoglobin, which binds cyanide and draws it away from cellular enzymes; sodium thiosulfate then supports conversion of cyanide into a less toxic substance that can be eliminated.
How to take sodium nitrite
This is not a self-administered treatment. A trained healthcare professional gives the clear, colourless, single-use solution by slow intravenous injection, with sodium thiosulfate given sequentially. Oxygen and other supportive measures must not be delayed, and the vial should be checked for particles or discolouration before use.
Hospital emergency treatment only
For intravenous use
Single-use vial
Blood pressure is monitored during administration
sodium nitrite side effects
Common or expected effects
- The frequency of reported effects is unknown; these include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, sweating, anxiety, palpitations and discomfort or tingling at the injection site.
Get urgent medical advice
- Excessive methaemoglobinaemia, which reduces oxygen delivery
- Severe hypotension or fainting
- Breathing difficulty or blue-grey skin
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Seizures, severe confusion, coma or circulatory collapse
- Urticaria or another suspected serious hypersensitivity reaction
sodium nitrite in pregnancy
Human experience raises concern about congenital malformations. However, cyanide poisoning can be life-threatening, so sodium nitrite may be used in pregnancy when the woman's clinical condition requires it; emergency specialists must weigh the immediate benefits and risks.
sodium nitrite while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether sodium nitrite enters human milk, and risk to a breastfed child cannot be excluded. The product information states that breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment; specialist advice should guide subsequent feeding.
sodium nitrite interactions
Formal interaction studies have not been performed. Clinically important cautions include:
Hydroxocobalamin
Do not administer simultaneously through the same intravenous line because the products are chemically incompatible.
Methaemoglobin-forming medicines, including procaine and sodium nitroprusside
May increase methaemoglobin formation and further impair oxygen delivery.
Medicines that lower blood pressure
May increase the risk or severity of hypotension.
Common questions about sodium nitrite
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is sodium nitrite used for in hospital?
It is a cyanide antidote licensed for acute poisoning considered life-threatening, used with sodium thiosulfate and supportive care.
Can sodium nitrite be taken at home?
No. The licensed product is an intravenous emergency treatment administered by trained healthcare professionals.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.