Mommy Academy

2010-01-23

Carbon monoxide: A silent killer

Colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-irritating, but definitely lethal. How do you detect, prevent and cure something you can’t sense?

CARBON monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that results from burning organic matters in limited oxygen supply. The air fails to oxidize completely into becoming carbon dioxide. This happens in house fires, house heaters, motor vehicle exhaust, portable camping stoves, engine-driven generators, high-pressure washers, welding machines, faulty diving air compressors, and polluted air, to name a few.Poisoning happens when you inhale carbon monoxide, whether at one time in large doses (acute poisoning), or over time in small measures (chronic poisoning). When you breathe it in, carbon monoxide takes the place of oxygen in the hemoglobin—the red blood pigment that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. it wraps itself in the hemoglobin a hundred times tighter than oxygen does, causing oxygen starvation throughout the body.Since the poison in itself is undetectable, the symptoms are the only reasons to raise the alarm. These symptoms, however, are as tricky as the poison itself. Most of them could easily be misdiagnosed as common ailments: headaches, migraine, vertigo, flu-like effects, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, chest pain, dizziness, confusion, convulsions, respiratory failure and unconsciousness. The only way to detect its presence is to check the carboxyhemoglobin, a stable complex of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin that forms in red blood cells.

Another dangerous effect of CO poisoning happens in the brain. Neurological defects may occur days or weeks after acute poisoning. Among these neurological effects are short-term memory, dementia, irritability, speech disturbances, cortical blindness and depression.First aidThere is no other treatment to CO poisoning than letting the patient breathe 100% oxygen through an oxygen mask. Oxygen disentangles carbon monoxide’s tight grip on the hemoglobin, and allows our tissues to breathe. In case of CO poisoning, the first thing you should do is to immediately remove the victim from CO exposure, call help, administer CPR if necessary, and allow him to breathe 100% oxygen.As in all medical cases, prevention is always better than cure. Thus, public education on carbon monoxide and its effects is paramount to ensure the safety of your family, and your community in general. Simple and practical know-how on proper and safe use of appliances, air conditioners, internal-combustion engines, and/or installation of CO detectors should not be taken for granted.