side effects

Last reviewed 01/2018

Silver nitrate 0.5% solution has the following side effects:

  • forms hypotonic solution in the dressing:
    • tends to leach salts out from the wound
    • regular assays of sodium and potassium are required
    • hyponatraemia most likely in young children; give oral sodium supplementation
  • methaemoglobinaemia as a result of organisms within the wound converting the nitrate to nitrite