Causative & risk factors
Several commonly used appliances produce carbon monoxide. These include vehicles, kitchen appliances, water heaters etc.
Once a person breathes in too much carbon monoxide, the oxygen in his blood starts getting replaced with carbon monoxide. Unborn babies, young children and the elderly are particularly at risk of developing carbon monoxide poisoning.
Clinical presentation
The patient presents with headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea, emotional lability and confusion. He may experience abdominal pain and find it difficult to breathe.
If the levels of CO in the blood are too high, there is impairment of the mental faculties of the patient. The heart rate may increase and the patient finds it difficult to breathe. The patient develops vertigo, loses his physical co-ordination, may have a seizure and lose consciousness.
Severe or untreated carbon monoxide poisoning can cause permanent damage to the brain and heart.
Investigations
The physician can suspect CO poisoning on the basis of the patient’s symptoms and by studying the environment of the patient at the time of development of the symptoms.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be confirmed by testing the carbon monoxide levels in a blood sample.
Treatment
Any patient suspected with carbon monoxide poisoning must be hospitalized immediately. The patient is made to breathe pure oxygen via a mask or a ventilator machine. In severe cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recommended which ensures faster replacement of blood carbon monoxide with oxygen.
