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What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

What causes carbon monoxide poisoning?

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

How can doctors tell if I have carbon monoxide poisoning?

How do doctors treat carbon monoxide poisoning?

How can I prevent carbon monoxide poisoning?

Poisoning

Overview of Poisoning

Acetaminophen Poisoning

Aspirin Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Caustic Substance Poisoning

Hydrocarbon Poisoning

Insecticide Poisoning

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

Which of the following is the most common cause of ischemic hepatitis?

Blocked blood vessels in the hepatic artery and hepatic vein
Decreased blood flow throughout the body
Decreased oxygen levels in the body due to severe respiratory disorders
Increased need for both oxygen and blood resulting from severe bodywide infection (sepsis)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Last full review/revision Oct 2019| Content last modified Oct 2019

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Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. It is produced from burning substances.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is sickness from breathing in too much carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can hurt you because it prevents oxygen in your blood from reaching your cells.

People who breathe in too much carbon monoxide can die.

Symptoms include headache, feeling sick to your stomach, confusion, clumsiness (poor coordination), and tiredness
You may mistakenly think you have flu or another illness
Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home—they alert you if there is carbon monoxide in the air

If you think you may be breathing in carbon monoxide, move outside to fresh air right away, and call for emergency medical assistance (911 in most areas of the United States).

Carbon monoxide comes from burning substances. Anything that involves burning something can produce carbon monoxide: house fires, car engines, fireplaces, furnaces, gas heaters, kerosene heaters, and stoves. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, fumes must be vented (released outside) properly.

The first symptoms are:

Headache or dizziness
Feeling sick to your stomach
Throwing up
Feeling tired or having trouble focusing
Poor coordination (clumsiness)

Later, or with more severe carbon monoxide poisoning, you may

Be confused
Be unconscious or unresponsive
Have seizures (when your body moves and jerks out of your control)
Have pain in your chest
Feel like you can’t breathe
Feel faint or weak

Severe poisoning can kill you.

Doctors will take a sample of your blood to check for carbon monoxide in it.

Doctors will give you oxygen. The oxygen will help remove the carbon monoxide from your blood.

If you have mild poisoning, you may just need fresh air
If you have severe poisoning, you may need to breathe oxygen through a face mask

Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home
Make sure all fireplaces, furnaces, and stoves are installed and vented properly
Don't turn on your car in a closed garage

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: Click here for the Professional Version

Click here for the Professional Version

Aspirin Poisoning

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