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- Adolescents abuse inhalational agents due to lack of access to ETOH and illicit drugs
- Often halogenated hydrocarbon propellants like computer cleaner and paint stripper
- Sensitizes the myocardium to catecholamines
- Child is caught huffing and is frightened causing a catecholamines surge then v-fib arrest
- This was reported in a 1970 case series and "Sudden Sniffing Death" was coined (1)
- Actual treatment would be to administer B-Blocker in this instance (theoretical)
Bass. Sudden Sniffing Death. JAMA 1970.