UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: Sudden Sniffing Death

Posted: 5/8/2008 by Fermin Barrueto, MD (Updated: 4/25/2024)
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Adolescents abuse inhalational agents due to lack of access to ETOH and illicit drugs
Often halogenated hydrocarbon propellants like computer cleaner and paint stripper
Sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamines
Child is caught huffing and is frightened causing a catecholamines surge then v-fib arrest
This was reported in a 1970 case series and "Sudden Sniffing Death" was coined (1)
Actual treatment would be to administer B-Blocker in this instance (theoretical)

Bass. Sudden Sniffing Death. JAMA 1970.