Acute cyanide toxicity caused by apricot kernel ingestion

A 41-year-old woman ingested apricot kernels purchased at a health food sto re and became weak and dyspneic within 20 minutes. The patient was comatose and hypothermic on presentation but responded promptly to antidotal therap y for cyanide poisoning. She was later treated with a continuous thiosulfat e infusion for persistent metabolic acidosis. This is the first reported ca se of cyanide toxicity from apricot kernel ingestion in the United States s ince 1979.