Blush Not with Nitrites
Authors: CHARLES WILLIAM SHARP
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1980)

Editorial Notes1 May 1980Blush Not with NitritesCHARLES WILLIAM SHARP, PH.D., RICHARD C. STILLMAN, M.DCHARLES WILLIAM SHARP, PH.D.Search for more papers by this author, RICHARD C. STILLMAN, M.DSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-92-5-700 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptInhalant abuse, the potentially dangerous practice of inhaling volatile compounds for their psychological or physiologic effects, is a widespread and often unrecognized problem. Widely differing compounds are inhaled, from gasoline and paint sprays to the alkyl nitrites (1). Though each has its peculiar risks, the abused volatile substances have in common that they are legal and readily available, that their effects are produced very rapidly because they enter the pulmonary circulation immediately, and that their mode of administration entails risks of death, usually from anoxia with little or no warning.Originally amyl nitrite, an analog of the butyl nitrites, was...References1. SHARPBREHM CM. Review of Inhalants: Euphoria to Dysfunction. Rockville, Maryland: National Institute on Drug Abuse; 1977. (Research Monograph No. 15, ADM 80-533, ADM 77-553.) Google Scholar2. NICKERSON M. Vasodilator drugs. In: GOODMAN LS, GILMAN A, eds. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 5th ed. New York: Macmillan; 1975:727-43. Google Scholar3. NICKERSONPARKERLOWRYSWENSON MJTE. Isobutyl Nitrite and Related Compounds. San Francisco: Pharmex, Ltd.; 1979. Google Scholar4. JOHNSTONBACHMANO'MALLEY LJP. 1979 Highlights: Drugs and the Nation's High School Students; 5 Year National Trend. Rockville, Maryland: National Institute on Drug Abuse; 1979. Google Scholar5. WASONDETSKYPLATTLOVEJOY SAOF. Isobutyl nitrite toxicity by ingestion. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92:637-8. LinkGoogle Scholar6. SMITHSTAIRROLNICK MTM. Butyl nitrite and methemoglobinemia. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92:719. Letter. LinkGoogle Scholar7. STEINERMANOGUERRA RA. Butyl nitrite and methemoglobinemia. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92:570. Letter. LinkGoogle Scholar8. SHESSERDIXONALLENMITCHELLEDELSTEIN RDYJS. Fatal methemoglobinemia from butyl nitrite ingestion. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92:131-2. Letter. LinkGoogle Scholar9. HORNEWATERMANSIMONGARRIOTTFOERSTER MMLJE. Methemoglobinemia from sniffing butyl nitrite. Ann Intern Med. 1979;91:417-8. LinkGoogle Scholar10. COHEN S. Amyl nitrite rediscovered. Drug Abuse Alcohol Newslett. 1978; January 7. Google Scholar11. PRYORHOWDBINGHAMREBERT GRLC. Biomedical Studies on the Effects of Abused Inhalant Mixtures. Reports on Contract 271-77-3402. Rockville, Maryland: National Institute on Drug Abuse; 1978, 1979. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Division of Research National Institute on Drug Abuse Rockville, Maryland PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByUse of “Poppers” among Adults in the United States, 2015-2017Substances volatilesInhalantsInhalant abuse by adolescents11The full text of this article is available via JAH Online at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jahonline.A Qualitative Study of the Social Contextual Use of Alkyl Nitrites (Poppers) among Targeted GroupsSelf-Reported Effects of Alkyl Nitrite Use: A Qualitative Study Amongst Targeted GroupsDrug AbuseVolatile substance abuse ∗Analysis of alkyl nitrites by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometryThe Abuse of Volatile Substances 1 May 1980Volume 92, Issue 5Page: 700-701KeywordsAddictionInhalation Issue Published: 1 May 1980 PDF DownloadLoading ...