Understanding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The air we br eathe in is made up of a mixture of gases that ar e beneficial to man. We breathe in these gases to be able to attain the conditions r equired for our respiratory and blood cir culations system to be optimised. These essential gases include oxygen and hydrogen in appropriate volumes. In this same manner, there are some gases that we breathe in, that are harmful to us, in that when they are taken in large amount, would cause blood poisoning and eventually death.Amongst these gases is carbon monoxide (CO) . Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. ... CO is a common industrial hazard resulting from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon such as gasoline, ker osene, oil, propane, coal, or wood. CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning material containing carbon. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause brain damage and death.You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it; but carbon monoxide can kill you. and colorless gas, it is known as the “silent killer.” household appliances. When not properly ventilated, carbon monoxide emitted by these appliances can build up.

Where is CO found?

CO is found in fumes produced any time you burn fuel. Sources of carbon monoxide: removers

CO can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it.

Symptoms:

are CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out die from CO poisoning before they have symptoms.

Those at risk:

Risks for exposure to carbon monoxide include trucks (particularly high risk) and plants producing formaldehyde or coke (a hard grey fuel) during power outages or combustible gases of a boat with the boat engine on .

Complications of carbon monoxide poisoning

can cause serious complications, including brain damage and heart problems. In very severe cases, it can result in death.

Effects of severe carbon monoxide poisoning include: Around 10-15% of people who have severe carbon monoxide poisoning develop long-term complications. memory problems and difficulty concentrating. It can also cause vision loss and hearing loss

In rare cases, severe carbon monoxide poisoning tremors , stiffness and slow movement.

which is a degenerative neurological condition linked to ageing.

1. Heart disease : is another serious condition that can develop as a result of long-term carbon monoxide exposure.

Coronary heart disease is where the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances (atheroma) in the coronary arteries.

If the blood supply is restricted, it can cause chest pains . If the coronary arteries become completely blocked, it can cause a heart attack .

3. Harm to unborn babies Long-term exposure to carbon monoxide gas can monoxide during pregnancy are at risk of: within the first four weeks of birth)

Treatment

Seek medical advice from your doctor if you think you’ve been exposed to low levels of carbon monoxide. Act very quickly if you think you’ve been exposed to high levels.

Your symptoms will often indicate whether you have carbon monoxide poisoning, but a blood test will confirm the amount of carboxyhaemoglobin in your blood. A level of 30% indicates severe exposure.

normal levels of carboxyhaemoglobin in their blood, which can sometimes make it difficult to interpret the results.

Mild carbon monoxide poisoning doesn’t usually need hospital treatment, but it’s still important that you seek medical advice.

Your house will also need to be checked for safety before anyone returns. 1. Standard oxygen therapy Standard oxygen therapy in hospital will be needed if you’ve been exposed to a high level of carbon monoxide, or you have symptoms that suggest exposure.

You’ll be given 100% oxygen through a tight-fitting mask (normal air contains around 21% oxygen). to quickly replace carboxyhaemoglobin. Therapy will continue until your carboxyhaemoglobin levels decrease to less than 10%. 1. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy with pure oxygen, helping it overcome the oxygen shortage caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

There’s currently insufficient evidence regarding severe cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, standard oxygen therapy is usually the recommended treatment option.

– for example, if there’s been extensive exposure to carbon monoxide and nerve damage is suspected. The

Recovery

This would vary from man to man . The length of time it takes to recover from carbon monoxide poisoning will depend on how much carbon monoxide you’ve been exposed to and how long you’ve been exposed to it.

It’s important to be aware of the dangers and identify any appliances in your house that could potentially leak carbon monoxide. should be installed and regularly serviced by a reputable, registered engineer. Don’t attempt to install or service appliances yourself. To protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by exhaust fumes:

running in the garage

year for leaks

turning the engine on . Install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home to alert you if there’s a carbon monoxide leak. However, an alarm isn’t a substitute for maintaining and regularly servicing household appliances.

The bottom line is that you should be vigilant , maintain all appliances using fuel and keep such appliances in well ventilated spaces .

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) floods the body with pure oxygen, helping it overcome the oxygen shortage caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. There’s currently insufficient evidence regarding the long-term effectiveness of HBOT for treating severe cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, standard oxygen therapy is usually the recommended treatment option. HBOT may be recommended in certain situations – for example, if there’s been extensive exposure to carbon monoxide and nerve damage is suspected. The use of HBOT will be decided on a case-by-case basis