Sodium Azide Poisoning

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The purpose of this document is to enable health care workers and public health officials to recognize an unknown or suspected exposure to sodium azide. Sodium azide is a rapidly acting, potentially lethal chemical that exists as an odorless, white crystalline solid. It is used in automobile airbags to inflate produce inflation of the airbag upon impact. Sodium azide is rapidly converted into hydrazoic acid vapor upon contact with water or an acid. Like Both sodium azide, and hydrozoic acid is are highly explosive. Similar to cyanide, sodium azide and hydrozoic acid they also interfere with cellular respiration and aerobic metabolism, preventing the cells from utilizing oxygen. The sites in the body that are most sensitive to acute sodium azide poisoning are those within the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system.

The amount and route of the exposure to sodium azide and the premorbid condition of the person exposed person will contribute to the time of onset, duration, and the severity of illness. For example, inhaling the inhalation of sodium azide would be expected to lead to a quicker onset of poisoning, to cause a more rapid progression of poisoning, and to result in loss of consciousness and death more often when compared with ingesting the ingestion of sodium azide, given the same amount.

Signs and symptoms of exposure

The following is a more comprehensive list of signs and symptoms that may be encountered in a person exposed to sodium azide. Signs and symptoms are not listed in order of presentation or specificity. Also, partial presentations (an absence of some of the following signs/symptoms) do not necessarily imply less severe disease.

Central nervous system signs and symptoms

Headache
Agitation
Dizziness
Loss of consciousness (sudden collapse)
Convulsions
Coma

Respiratory signs and symptoms

Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
Chest pain
Hyperpnea (increased respiratory rate/depth)
Bradypnea (decreased respiratory rate)

Cardiovascular signs

Tachycardia early (increased heart rate)— early
Hypertension early (high blood pressure)— early
Bradycardia late (decreased heart rate)— late
Hypotension late (low blood pressure)— late
Flushing

Gastrointestinal signs and symptoms

Abdominal pain
Nausea
Vomiting

Other signs

Skin and eye irritation
Similar color of retinal arteries and veins

Laboratory findings suggestive of sodium azide poisoning

Metabolic acidosis with elevated anion gap
(based on specific laboratory reference range)
Increased plasma lactate level
(above specific laboratory reference range)
Increased serum azide level
(above specific laboratory reference range;
diagnostic but not clinically helpful)

Differential diagnosis

Carbon monoxide
Hydrogen sulfide
Cyanide
Ethylene glycol
Methanol
Phosphine
Fluoroacetate

Note: The actual clinical manifestations of an exposure to sodium azide may be more variable than the syndrome described in this document.

This toxic syndrome description is based on CDC’s best current information.
It may be updated as new information becomes available.

Page last reviewed February 22, 2006
Page last modified March 28, 2005