General Information About Methemoglobinemia
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a condition where the structure of hemoglobin in the blood is altered, making it unable to release the oxygen it absorbs from the lungs to the cells, causing the body to suffocate from lack of oxygen (despite breathing).
It can be hereditary (due to enzyme deficiency) but is more commonly acquired. Drinking water contaminated with pesticides/nitrates, or the entry of certain local anesthetics (prilocaine) and antibiotics used in dentistry into the bloodstream can initiate this reaction.
The most typical symptom is the sudden dark blue/purple discoloration of the lips, nail beds, and skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood (Cyanosis). Palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and progression to coma are observed.
While normal and oxygenated blood is bright red, blood drawn from a patient with elevated methemoglobin levels has a chocolate or brown (dark rust) color.
Despite the patient being cyanotic, the lung examination is normal. Diagnosis is established by finding very low oxygen saturation (SPO2) and an abnormally high percentage of methemoglobin in an Arterial Blood Gas test.
Putting an external oxygen mask on the patient does not work because the problem lies within the blood holding the oxygen. The life-saving treatment is the intravenous administration of a specific antidote called 'Methylene Blue'. Upon drug administration, blood cells return to the normal hemoglobin form within seconds.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
