, also known as "met-H", is a usually
Gene tic
Blood disorder characterized by the presence of a higher than normal level of
Methemoglobin in the blood.
Due to an
Enzyme deficiency, the blood of met-H victims has reduced
Oxygen -carrying capacity. Instead of being red in colour, the arterial blood of met-H victims is brown. This results in the
Skin of
Caucasian sufferers gaining a bluish cast. Hereditary met-H is caused by a
Recessive Gene . If only one parent has this gene offspring will have normal-hued skin, but if both parents carry the gene there is a chance the offspring will have blue-hued skin.
Types include:
Acquired methemoglobinemia can be caused by the use of
Nitrite -containing drugs, such as
Amyl Nitrite .
Nitrates do not cause methemoglobinemia.
It can be caused by drinking water nitrate-nitrogen levels that exceed current EPA standards of 10ppm. Nitrate can cause the reaction in the bloodstream, especially in babies.
Methemoglobinemia is treated with the use of
Methylene Blue , which restores the hemoglobin to its normal oxygen-carrying state.
<1.7% : Normal
--
10-20% : Blueish skin
--
20-40% : headache, weakness, dizzyness
--
>35% : breathlessness, weakness
--
50-60% : Coma, Sezurees, shivering, unusual heart rates
--
>70% : Death
