Carbon monoxide poisoning is a condition when carbon monoxide circulating in the blood causes certain complaints or symptoms. Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur as a result of inhaling large amounts of carbon monoxide gas.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas produced by a variety of processes, including the burning of coal, wood, and the use of fuel in motor vehicles.. This gas is odorless, colorless, and cannot be tasted.
When a person is exposed to or inhales carbon monoxide gas, the blood's ability to bind oxygen is reduced. This is because CO gas is more easily bound to hemoglobin and then forms carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb).
The more COHb that is formed, the less oxygen will be circulated throughout the body. As a result, the body will experience a lack of oxygen (hypoxia).
Causes of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Smoke from burning coal, wood, motor vehicle fuel, portable generators, or household appliances that produce gas, will increase carbon monoxide levels in the air. This condition will be even more dangerous if the smoke from the combustion gathers in a closed room without ventilation.
Carbon monoxide poisoning will occur if a person inhales carbon dioxide in excessive amounts or over a long period of time. Some conditions that can increase a person's risk of experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning are:
- Be in the fire place
- Being in an unventilated room with a car or generator engine running
- Being in a car that is not moving, but the engine is running, with the windows or doors tightly closed, and there is a leak in the exhaust or exhaust system
- Swim in the area around the jet ski or boat with the engine running
- Using equipment that runs on oil, charcoal, wood, or gas, that is not properly installed in a poorly ventilated room
- Cooking in an unventilated kitchen
- Cleaning paint with a cleaning liquid containing methylene chloride (dichloromethane)
- Smoke shisha in a closed room
Carbon monoxide risk factors
Anyone can experience carbon monoxide poisoning. However, being in the conditions mentioned above will increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In addition, pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly, people with heart disease, asthmatics or other respiratory disorders are more at risk of experiencing more severe complaints and effects of CO poisoning.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
At first, the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not obvious because they are similar to the symptoms of food poisoning or flu symptoms, but are not accompanied by fever. Symptoms usually subside when the sufferer moves away from the gas source and get worse as the amount of CO gas inhaled increases.
When experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, a person will experience hypoxia or lack of oxygen. Some of the early symptoms that arise from this condition are:
- Tension headache
- Dizzy
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Stomach ache
- daze
- Gastric pains
If this condition continues and more and more CO gas is inhaled, further symptoms or complaints will appear, such as:
- Loss of balance and body coordination
- Hard to breathe
- Chest pain
- Visual disturbance
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking
- Dizziness that is getting worse
- Pale
- Fast heart rate (tachycardia)
- Decreased consciousness to loss of consciousness
- Seizures
Although rare, there is one characteristic sign that can indicate carbon monoxide poisoning, namely a bright red rash on the skin or often called cherry red skin.
When to go to the doctor
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are mild at first, but if not treated and exposure to carbon monoxide continues, this condition will turn into an emergency condition.
Check with your doctor if you experience early symptoms, as mentioned above. If you see someone experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, get out of the way immediately and take the person to a safer place. After that, immediately go to the ER or call an ambulance for medical help.
Diagnosis of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning or intoxication can have a variety of symptoms. The symptoms that appear are also non-specific, so the doctor will ask the patient or the person who took him or her about the activities that were carried out before the patient felt symptoms. Some things that can be a marker of CO poisoning are:
- People who live with or are around the patient also experience the same complaints
- The patient is in an environment that can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
- In some patients who experience mild complaints, the symptoms subside when they move away from the suspected source of CO . gas
Patients suspected of having carbon monoxide poisoning will undergo a blood gas analysis to see levels of carboxyhemoglobin which is in the blood.
If the COHb level in a patient is 3–4% higher than normal, it is certain that the patient has carbon monoxide poisoning. If the patient is a smoker, a COHb value that exceeds 10-15% is considered a case of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Through blood gas analysis, the level of oxygen in the blood can also be assessed. This is to assess the severity of the hypoxia that occurs.
In addition to blood gas analysis, tests to assess the function of other organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain, can also be performed. This will be adjusted to the level of carbon monoxide poisoning and the severity of the hypoxia experienced.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Treatment
Carbon monoxide poisoning will be treated with oxygen therapy to speed up the delivery of oxygen to organs and tissues. In this therapy, the patient will be given oxygen through an oxygen mask or on a ventilator if the patient cannot breathe on his own. This therapy can be carried out up to carboxyhemoglobin down to below 10%.
Meanwhile, patients who are pregnant, patients diagnosed with severe CO poisoning, patients with suspected nerve damage, or patients with cardiac ischemia, will be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (TOHB).
TOHB is a therapy that is carried out in a device (chamber) which is filled with 100% oxygen and is pressurized higher than the pressure in an ordinary room. TOHB is useful for preventing damage to heart and brain tissue.
Complications of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
About 10-15% of people with carbon monoxide poisoning can experience long-term complications. Some of the complications that can occur include:
- Brain damageThis condition can interfere with the ability to see or hear, impaired memory and concentration, and trigger parkinsonism.
- Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease causes coronary arteries to become blocked and can lead to a heart attack.
- Disturbance on the fetusCO poisoning in pregnant women can affect the fetus they contain, for example babies born with low weight, having behavioral disorders, or even dying in the womb.
Prevention of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, take the following precautions:
- Avoid being in a tightly closed stationary car with the engine running.
- Avoid burning or grilling anything in an enclosed space.
- Do not start the car engine in the garage for a long time, even if the garage door is open.
- Avoid swimming or being near jet ski or a ship with the engine running.
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time near heaters that use gas, kerosene, or firewood.
- Install adequate ventilation in the room, especially when there are tools, such as water heater.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors in areas where there is a potential for carbon monoxide leakage.
- Check all heaters or appliances that use fuel regularly to make sure they are in good condition.
- Place and pair the portable generator or generator outside the house, or in a room that is well enough away from the ventilation of the house.
In addition to doing the things above, you need to recognize some signs that could indicate a carbon monoxide gas leak, such as:
- There are yellow-brown stains around the pot or stove
- The color of the fire becomes yellow instead of blue
- The room is filled with smoke
- Explosions of fire occur when you first start the tool or machine
If you think there has been a carbon monoxide gas leak inside a building or house, open all windows and doors immediately and leave quietly. Call the authorities and go to the nearest hospital immediately to make sure you don't have carbon monoxide poisoning.