Sodium azide is used as a preservative in many laboratory settings. Clinical experience with treatment of sodium azide intoxication is very limited. Some publications reported severe side eff ects such as seizure, coma, respiratory depression, metabolic acidosis, arrhythmia and asystole. Major side eff ects were observed following doses of 10 mg/kg or over, the minimal lethal dosage.
A 25 years old female dentist accidentally ingested approximately 5 ml of a diluted solution of (10 mg) sodium azide. Five minutes after ingestion, she became drowsy and had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure which continued for two minutes and was followed by a postictal period.
Critical toxicity symptoms may develop with exposure to low doses of sodium azide. The risk of exposure to sodium azide should be considered especially when there are mental status changes, tremor, tachycardia, temporary vision loss and shortness of breath in the presence of unexplained seizures.
Keywords: Sodium azide, ingestion, toxicity