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Doctor insights on: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Many: Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headaches, blurry vision, fatigue and lightheadedness, and progress to alteration of conciousness rather quickly. You should have a carbon monoxide detector (with charged batteries!) in your house to determine if there are unsafe levels in your home. Please go to the er immediately if you suspect poisoning; they will check your blood and get treatment started. ...Read more

"Fake" oygen: Hemoglobin is a molecule that allows blood to efficiently transport oxygen. Carbon monoxide causes its toxic affects by binding to hemoglobin and not letting go, preventing oxygen transport and causing suffocation despite adequate environmental oxygen supply. ...Read more

Anoxia: Carbon monoxide if inhaled, fits into the oxygen carrying site on hemoglobin even better than oxygen. This means your body will be deprived of this critical element. It is as if a tourniquet were applied around your neck. You will appear bright red but since the redness is from the wrong chemical, your cells will die due to oxygen lack. This is an extreme emergency. ...Read more

Yes, risk is present: You may experience headaches only while in your car, your fingertips may turn cherry red, you might be spacey, light-headed, dizzy, nauseated, and if so, could be carbon monoxide exposure. So, if you have an older car, and visible exhaust with a lot of wear and tear, best to have it checked. Also, at home, always have place carbon monoxide detector, as furnaces have potential for harm. ...Read more

Carboxyhemaglobin: A simple blood test, carboxyhemaglobin, give a precise measure of how much carbon monoxide is in the blood. ...Read more

Call 911 or have: Someone take you to a hospital ER ASAP for treatment. ...Read more

Not unless: Unless some carbon-containing substance burns. Hot rocks are like hot steel, hot and, hot glass. Nothing burning, so no carbon monoxide. ...Read more

Headache: Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning may cause headache and malaise. Confusion and ultimately unconsciousness and coma can result if not removed from the source of poisoning. Persistent nausea and headache when residing in a building are warning signs. ...Read more

No: Get to an er as soon as possible. ...Read more

Yes: Carbon monoxide (CO) stays tightly bound to hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin. CO comes off the hemoglobin gradually as the hours go by. Studies show carboxyhemoglobin's half-life to be about 4 hours (3-5 hr) in regular air, but about 1 hour (30-90 minutes) when breathing 100% oxygen for treatment of CO poisoning. Increased oxygen makes the CO come off the hemoglobin and leave the body sooner. ...Read more

CO2 poisoning: First is to leave the contaminated environment. The environment, i.e. Your home should be checked to determine the source. If one is exposed to high co2 levels, being put into a high oxygen environment or even a decompression chamber for severe carbon monoxide intoxication.
You should get co2 alarms for your home. ...Read more

That's easy: The major risk factor for carbon monoxide poisoning is breathing in a lot of carbon monoxide. You don't need a doctor to tell you that; yout mother can tell you that. I'm not being rude; I'm pointing out that your question doesn't require any medical knowledge or expertise. It's something anyone can look up & understand. Check the websites of the CDC & the Consumer Products Safety Commission. ...Read more

CO poisoning: Co is a silent killer. It can start with a headache, dizziness, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and coma. ...Read more

Help what?: You can get the most from this site when you provide actual background information on a problem you are having and then ask a related question. Space for our answers is limited, so open statements with a question mark afterward does not allow us to focus the answer. You are welcome to start over. Your posts are never linked so each should have all related background with each question. ...Read more

CO poisoning: Remove person from the source of exposure, give oxygen, treat other symptoms according to severity. For example seizures, acidosis, heart abnormalities, low blood pressure, all done in hospital. ...Read more

Exposure: Since carbon monoxide binds stronger to the hemoglobin molecule than oxygen, the presence of any level of carbon monoxide in your environment will eventually poison you if you do not remove it (or yourself). Combustion like burning gasoline, or other fuels can create it and if this is in a poorly ventilated area, it will linger and rise to toxic levels. ...Read more

Oxygen and removal: Carbon monoxide causes its toxic effects by displacing oxygen in the blood. It is treated by removing the person from the carbon monoxide source and giving supplemental oxygen. There is some evidence suggesting that hyperbaric (high-pressure) oxygen speeds the recovery process. ...Read more

Exposure to gases: From incomplete combustion. Burning of carbon almost always produces some carbon monoxide in addition to carbon dioxide. Human exposure results form tobacco smoking, automobile exhaust, including any machine using gasoline or diesel. Malfunctioning furnaces and indoor kerosene/coal/wood heaters are a common cause of lethal carbon monoxide poisoning. ...Read more

Call 911 or have: Someone take you to a hospital ER ASAP for treatment. ...Read more

Cannot tell: Without knowing your symptoms or findings, it is impossible to tell. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning usually gives headaches, nausea, malaise and fatigue. Late findings, including cardiac and brain problems -- but this is usually with low chronic exposure. ...Read more

"Fake" oygen: Hemoglobin is a molecule that allows blood to efficiently transport oxygen. Carbon monoxide causes its toxic affects by binding to hemoglobin and not letting go, preventing oxygen transport and causing suffocation despite adequate environmental oxygen supply. ...Read more

Some approaches: Simple ways include checking carbon monoxide levels where you live and in your motor vehicle. A blood test called carbon-mononoxy-hemoglobin can check blood levels. Early symptoms might involve headaches, confusion, light headedness or dizziness, and your fingertips might reveal a cherry red coloration. ...Read more

Carbon monoxide: Headaches, fatigue, cognitive decline, altered state of consciousness, fatality. ...Read more

CO2 blood level: If you have been exposed to Carbon monoxide, see your doctor and have a blood level of Carbon Monoxide done. If there is any suspicion of a CO2 leak in your home, have it inspected. Also purchase CO2 detectors for your home. ...Read more

Poor oxygen supply: Carbon dioxide causes its toxic effects by reducing the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. This lack of oxygen, if severe and prolonged, can lead to stroke, heart attack, and eventual death. ...Read more

"Fake" oygen: Hemoglobin is a molecule that allows blood to efficiently transport oxygen. Carbon monoxide causes its toxic affects by binding to hemoglobin and not letting go, preventing oxygen transport and causing suffocation despite adequate environmental oxygen supply. ...Read more

Chemical anemia: Carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in red cells and causes chemical anemia. Mild cases may be asymptomatic. It may start as weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, cherry red coloration of skin, loss of consciousness and in severe cases, death. Chronic poisoning may cause parkinson disease. ...Read more

Carbon monoxide: Overall it is rare, however each year:
400 Americans (out of 310 million) die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, more than 20, 000 visit the emergency room and more than 4, 000 are hospitalized due to this issue. Fatality is highest among Americans 65 and older. ...Read more