Methemoglobinemia - The Cryptic Cause of Dyspnoea

Methemoglobinemia is a life threatening condition that can be difficult to diagnose. It can be congenital or, more often an adverse drug effect. A good, detailed history taking and thorough knowledge of drugs and toxins is the secret to early diagnosis. We present two interesting cases of methemoglobinemia. First was phenol poisoning with G6PD deficiency leading to hemolysis and methemoglobinemia and second was phenol induced methemoglobinemia. Here we discuss the diagnosis and management of a patient with acquired methemoglobinemia.