Amyl Nitrite - Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?
Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?
Amyl nitrite was originally manufactured and prescribed to treat angina pectoris, a heart condition marked by severe chest pain and shortness of breath. More effective treatments for angina now exist, and it is rarely prescribed for this purpose in the twenty-first century.
The most important medical use for amyl nitrite since the late 1980s has been as an antidoteA remedy to reverse the effects of a poison. for cyanideA poisonous chemical compound that shuts down the respiratory system, quickly killing people who have been exposed to it. poisoning. By the turn of the twenty-first century, the possibility of chemical weapons use in times of war had become increasingly real. The most extreme use of cyanide is as a chemical weapon, since high doses can kill large groups of people at one time. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, against the United States sparked considerable concern about the need for antidotes to poisons such as cyanide. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hoped to have stocks of antidotes called "chem-packs" distributed to every state by 2006. Amyl nitrite is one of the drugs included in these chem-packs.
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
