Carbon monoxide poisoning

Filed under: Boomer's Health
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. Too much carbon monoxide in the air you breathe can greatly diminish your ability to absorb of oxygen, leading to serious — and potentially fatal — tissue damage. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of unintentional death from poison.

Carbon monoxide is produced by appliances and other devices that produce combustion fumes, such as those that burn gas or other petroleum products, wood and other fuels. The danger occurs when too much carbon monoxide accumulates in a contained, poorly ventilated space. Simple precautions can save your life.

Although the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can be subtle, the condition is a life-threatening medical emergency. Get immediate care for anyone who may have carbon monoxide poisoning.


Symptoms

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include:

* Dull headache, the most common early symptom
* Weakness
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Chest pain
* Confusion
* Irritability
* Impaired judgment
* Loss of consciousness

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially dangerous for people who are sleeping or intoxicated. The fumes may be fatal before anyone realizes there's a problem.

When to see a doctor
If you suspect you've been exposed to carbon monoxide, get into fresh air immediately and seek emergency medical care. If possible, open windows and doors on the way out of the house.


Causes

Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by inhaling combustion fumes. When there's too much carbon monoxide in the air, your body replaces the oxygen in the hemoglobin of your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This keeps life-sustaining oxygen from reaching your tissues and organs.

Various appliances fueled by wood or gas produce carbon monoxide, including:

* Fuel-burning space heaters
* Furnaces
* Charcoal grills
* Cooking ranges
* Water heaters
* Fireplaces
* Portable generators, including those often used on houseboats
* Wood-burning stoves
* Car and truck engines

Normally the amount of carbon monoxide produced by these sources isn't cause for concern. But if appliances aren't kept in good working order or if they're used in a closed or partially closed space — such as using a charcoal grill indoors or running your car in a closed garage — the carbon monoxide can build to dangerous levels. Even swimming behind a motorboat or riding in the back of an enclosed pickup truck can be dangerous.

Smoke inhalation during a fire also can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Risk factors

Exposure to carbon monoxide from combustion fumes is dangerous for anyone. Some people are more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide, including:

* Unborn babies
* Infants
* Older adults
* People who smoke
* People who have chronic heart disease, anemia or respiratory problems

nComplications

Depending on the degree and length of exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause:

* Permanent brain damage
* Damage to your heart, possibly leading to life-threatening cardiac complications years after the poisoning
* Death


Preparing for your appointment

If you or someone you're with develops signs or symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning — headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, confusion — get into fresh air immediately and call 911 or emergency medical help.

Hospital staff will need critical information as soon as you arrive. On the way to the hospital, try to prepare to answer questions about:

* Possible sources of carbon monoxide exposure
* Signs and symptoms, and when they started
* Any mental impairment, including confusion and memory problems
* Any loss of consciousness
* Other medical conditions with which the affected person has been diagnosed, including pregnancy
* Smoking habits


Tests and diagnosis

If the doctor suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, a blood sample will be taken to measure the amount of carbon monoxide in your blood.


Treatments and drugs

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a medical emergency. Treatment is aimed at replacing the carbon monoxide in your blood with oxygen as quickly as possible. In the hospital, you may breathe pure oxygen through a mask placed over your nose and mouth. This helps oxygen reach your organs and tissues. If you can't breathe on your own, a machine (ventilator) may do the breathing for you.

In some cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recommended. With this therapy, you're placed in a full-body pressurized chamber. Inside the chamber, air pressure is more than twice as high as normal atmospheric pressure. This speeds the replacement of carbon monoxide with oxygen in your blood.


Prevention

Simple precautions can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Consider the following:

* Invest in carbon monoxide detectors. Install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor or level of your home. Install additional detectors outside individual bedrooms. Check the batteries every time you check your smoke detector batteries — at least twice a year. If the alarm sounds, leave the house and call the fire department or local utility company from a nearby phone.
* Open the garage door before starting your car. Never run your car in a closed garage. If you have an attached garage, keep the garage door open and the door to the house firmly closed while the car is running. Remove snow or other debris from the tailpipe before using the car.
* Use gas appliances as recommended. Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home. Use portable gas camp stoves only outdoors. Use fuel-burning space heaters only when someone is awake to monitor them and doors or windows are open to provide fresh air. Don't run a generator in an enclosed space, such as the basement or garage.
* Keep your gas appliances and fireplace in good repair. Make sure your gas appliances are properly vented. Clean your fireplace chimney and flue every year. Ask your utility company about yearly checkups for all gas appliances, including your furnace.

If carbon monoxide poisoning has occurred in your home, it's critical to find and repair the source of the carbon monoxide before you return. Your local fire department or utility company can help.