# How does a cyanide pill kill you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863 "2015-01-03T17:30:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863/1 "2015-01-03T17:30:37Z")
We’ve all seen in the movies and tv how a secret agent, when about to be captured, bites a cyanide pill and immediately dies, preventing interrogation. Just how does it work? need the answer _fast._😉 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863/2 "2015-01-03T17:37:21Z")
In about 5 minutes, and very painfully. I would imagine it feels like being suffocated. > **[Millionaire Arsonist Who Died in Courtroom Had Canister Labeled 'Cyanide' in...](https://abcnews.go.com/US/arizona-courtroom-suicide-cyanide-found-arsonists-car/story?id=16753754)** > > Arizona authorities have found a canister labeled "cyanide" in the car of a businessman who apparently poisoned himself in a courtroom after he was found guilty of arson, although a cause of death has yet to be determined. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863/3 "2015-01-03T18:14:28Z")
It blocks the cytochrome c oxidase enzyme from working. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863/4 "2015-01-03T19:41:02Z")
The movie _Downfall_ showed Madame Goebbels poisoning her own children, where they appeared to expire very quickly and painlessly. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-cyanide-pill-kill-you/708863/5 "2015-01-03T21:32:41Z")
> **[Cyanide poisoning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_poisoning)** > > Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and cardiac arrest. Onset of symptoms usually occurs within a few minutes. Some survivors have long-term neurological problems. > Toxic cyanide-containing compounds include hydrogen cyanide gas and a n... > [@](#): > > Cyanide poisoning is a form of histotoxic hypoxia because the cells of an organism are unable to use oxygen, primarily through the inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase. Acute hydrogen cyanide poisoning can result from inhalation of fumes from burning polymer products that use Nitrile in their production, such as polyurethane, or vinyl.[1] If cyanide is inhaled it causes a coma with seizures, apnea, and cardiac arrest, with death following in a matter of seconds. At lower doses, loss of consciousness may be preceded by general weakness, giddiness, headaches, vertigo, confusion, and perceived difficulty in breathing. At the first stages of unconsciousness, breathing is often sufficient or even rapid, although the state of the victim progresses towards a deep coma, sometimes accompanied by pulmonary edema, and finally cardiac arrest. A cherry red skin color that changes to dark may be present as the result of increased venous hemoglobin oxygen saturation.