Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
[UPDATED JANUARY 2022]
Introduction
Acute carbon monoxide poisoning is a well recognised medical emergency. Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from the blood stream so oxygen delivery is severely impaired or cut off with all the problems that arise from that. Diagnosis is often missed - one has to think of it!
Chronic carbon monoxide poisoning
Actually this is a misnomer. Carbon monoxide rapidly clears from the blood once the source of the poisoning has been removed. Chronic CO poisoning is actually chronic poisoning from burnt hydrocarbons.
The symptoms of such chronic poisoning, whatever the poison, in the longer term are very similar. So in an individual patient clinically it would be impossible to distinguish the symptoms of chronic carbon monoxide/hydrocarbon poisoning from sick building syndrome, sheep dip fu, Gulf War Syndrome or whatever. See Organophosphate Poisoning - symptoms and treatment
The approach to treatment is the same - ie identify and remove the cause, then see Chemical poisoning - general principles of diagnosis and treatment
See also
See also this free pdf book -
- Chronic carbon monoxide poisoning - "NOT QUITE THE WHOLE STORY" by Gareth Hughes. This gives details about how CO poisoning is not just about CO but also poisoning from burnt hydrocarbons.
CO Gas Safety - The Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society
This is an excellent charity and source of information. Their website is here - CO Gas Safety Website
Below you will find uploads of 2 very useful documents:
- Comic Strip of What To Do in Cases of CO Leak
- CO Gas Safety Data on Numbers Affected by CO+ - Impact on UK population - 22/10/2021
See also
- This 72 page pdf file CO Gas Safety - 25th anniversary edition
- This one minute film about Sue who had carbon monoxide poisoning - CO Gas Safety - One Survivor's Story
Related Articles
- Chemical poisoning - general principles of diagnosis and treatment
- Carbon monoxide poisoning and multi-sensitivity - a possible explanation for hypersensitivity symptoms
- Organophosphate Poisoning - symptoms and treatment
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