Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced as a byproduct of combustion. CO poisoning can cause brain injury and in severe cases, death. You can't see it, smell it, or taste it, but carbon monoxide can be fatal.

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in America. This is a silent killer and claims more than 2,000 lives each year. CO is produced by common household appliances.

Early symptoms of CO poisoning, such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue, are often mistaken for the flu because the deadly gas goes undetected in a home.

Causes of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide (CO) is formed when organic compounds burn. The most common sources are motor vehicle exhaust, smoke from fires, engine fumes, and non-electric heaters. CO poisoning is often associated with malfunctioning or blocked exhaust systems and suicide attempts.

Sources of carbon monoxide:

• Gas water heaters
• Kerosene space heaters
• Charcoal grills
• Propane stoves
• Propane-fueled forklifts
• Gas-powered saws
• Indoor tractor pulls
• Swimming behind a motorboat
• Spray paint, solvents, degreasers, and paint removers

Who is at risk for exposure to carbon monoxide?

• Children riding in the back of enclosed pickup trucks (high risk)
• Industrial workers at pulp mills, steel foundries, and plants producing formaldehyde or coke
• Exposure at fire scenes
• Use of heating sources during power outages
• Working indoors with combustion engines or combustible gases

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms

Exposure to carbon monoxide is most commonly accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Flu-like symptoms, fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Vomiting
• Visual changes
• Fainting
• Seizure
• Memory and walking problems

When to Seek Medical Care

If you have any of the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, go to a hospital emergency department, particularly if several people in the household are affected, or if pets are affected as well.

Exams and Tests

Because signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not specific, a blood test is the best way to make the diagnosis.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Treatment

What to do at Home

Move to fresh air outside, away from the source of carbon monoxide (CO).

• No home therapy is available for CO poisoning.
• You must seek medical care in a hospital emergency department.

Medical Treatment

• The treatment for CO poisoning is high-dose oxygen, initially using a facemask attached to an oxygen reserve bag.
• CO levels in the blood may be periodically checked until they are low enough to safely send you home.
• In severe poisoning, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to give even higher doses of oxygen. Since 1989, six randomized prospective trials have been reported comparing HBO with face mask oxygen treatment of acute CO poisoning. Of these, four demonstrate improved patient outcomes with hyperbaric oxygen and two report no difference between the two therapies. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society currently recommends HBO treatment for serious CO poisoning, as manifested by transient or prolonged unconsciousness, abnormal neurologic signs, cardiovascular dysfunction, or severe acidosis.
• It is important to find the source of the CO. Your local fire department or public service company will help find the source of CO and make sure the building is safe.

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