What is a methemoglobinemia?
(MET-hee-moh-GLOH-bih-NEE-mee-uh) A condition in which a higher-than-normal amount of methemoglobin is found in the blood. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen. In methemoglobinemia, tissues cannot get enough oxygen.
Why is it called methemoglobinemia?
The word methemoglobin derives from the Ancient Greek prefix μετα- (meta-: behind, later, subsequent) and the word hemoglobin: methemoglobin = meta-hemoglobin.
What is the difference between acquired methemoglobinemia and congenital methemoglobinemia?
Acquired methemoglobinemia is much more common than the congenital form and involves excessive production of methemoglobin. Often, it is associated with the use of or exposure to oxidant drugs, chemicals, or toxins, including dapsone, local anesthetic agents, and nitroglycerin.
Does methemoglobinemia go away?
The condition is benign. There is no effective treatment for people with a congenital form who develop an acquired form. This means that they should not take drugs such as benzocaine and lidocaine. People who acquire methemoglobinemia from medications can completely recover with proper treatment.
When is methemoglobinemia treated?
The diagnosis is confirmed by the level of methemoglobin in blood (1, 6). The treatment with specific antidote is usually recommended in patients with blood methemoglobin level of >20% in symptomatic patients and >30% in asymptomatic patients.
What are signs of methemoglobinemia?
What are the symptoms of methemoglobinemia?
- headache.
- shortness of breath.
- nausea.
- rapid heart rate.
- fatigue and lethargy.
- confusion or stupor.
- loss of consciousness.
What does methemoglobinemia do to the body?
Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries and distributes oxygen to the body. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin. With methemoglobinemia, the hemoglobin can carry oxygen, but is not able to release it effectively to body tissues.
How do you reverse methemoglobinemia?
Methylene blue is the primary emergency treatment for documented symptomatic methemoglobinemia. It is given in a dose of 1-2 mg/kg (up to a total of 50 mg in adults, adolescents, and older children) as a 1% solution in IV saline over 3-5 minutes.
Can methemoglobinemia go away?
What does argyria stand for in medical terms?
: permanent dark discoloration of skin caused by overuse of medicinal silver preparations.
What causes the skin to turn blue with argyria?
Argyria or argyrosis is a condition caused by excessive exposure to chemical compounds of the element silver, or to silver dust. The most dramatic symptom of argyria is that the skin turns blue or blue- grey. It may take the form of generalized argyria or local argyria.
Why do people with methemoglobinemia have blue skin?
Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormally high amount of methemoglobin — a form of hemoglobin — is produced. Hemoglobin is the molecule in red blood cells that distributes oxygen to the body. In methemoglobinemia, the hemoglobin is unable to release oxygen effectively to body tissues.
What happens when methemoglobin is in the blood?
Reduction — When a chemical element or compound gains an electron. methemoglobinemia. the presence of excessive methemoglobin in the blood, resulting in cyanosis and headache, dizziness, fatigue, ataxia, dyspnea, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness, which can progress to stupor, coma, and occasionally death.