cyanide poisoning /sī″ənid, -nīd/ [Gk, kyanos, blue] , poisoning resulting from the ingestion or inhalation of cyanide from such substances as bitter almond oil, wild cherry syrup, prussic acid, hydrocyanic acid, or potassium or sodium cyanide. Characterized by impaired intracellular oxygenation, symptoms include tachycardia, drowsiness, seizures, headache, apnea, and cardiac arrest. Death may result within 1 to 15 minutes.
