TITLE:
Drug Induced Methemoglobinemia
AUTHORS:
M. Cobas, H. Olivera, G. Soto, T. Fuhrman
KEYWORDS:
General Anesthesiology Clinical Anesthesiology Anesthetic Monitoring
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Anesthesiology,
Vol.3 No.3,
May
9,
2013
ABSTRACT: The normal presentation of a patient
with a drug induced methemoglobinemia is a low pulse oximetry (SpO2)
reading, usually in the mid 80% range, while having a very high PaO2 on an arterial blood gas (ABG)1. We present a case where the initial ABG showed
a very high PaO2 and a metabolic alkalosis while the SpO2 fluctuated (85%- 99%). Those findings combined with
hemodynamic instability complicated the diagnosis and delayed optimal care.