Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that can be fatal if inhaled in large quantities. CO binds to hemoglobin in the blood, preventing oxygen from being delivered to the body’s tissues. Mild CO poisoning often goes undetected, with symptoms like headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. More severe CO poisoning can lead to loss of consciousness, neurological damage, coma, and death. That’s why it’s critical to know how to flush CO from your body quickly if you’ve been exposed.
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is produced any time a material containing carbon is burned without enough oxygen for complete combustion. Common sources of CO include:
- Gas stoves and ovens
- Gas water heaters
- Gas dryers
- Gas or kerosene space heaters
- Gasoline engines and generators
- Charcoal grills
- Wood stoves and fireplaces
- Tobacco smoke
Incomplete burning of fuels like natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, charcoal, and wood all release CO. It can build up in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. Breathing too much CO essentially suffocates your cells by taking the place of oxygen in your blood.
How does CO enter your body?
You inhale carbon monoxide just like you would oxygen. It diffuses into your lungs and crosses into your bloodstream, where it binds tightly to hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that normally carries oxygen. This causes two major problems:
- It blocks oxygen from attaching to hemoglobin, reducing the amount of oxygen delivered throughout your body.
- It forms a new compound called carboxyhemoglobin, which alters hemoglobin’s structure and further impairs its ability to bind and release oxygen properly.
The more CO that gets into your blood, the less oxygen reaches your heart, brain, muscles, and other tissues. This lack of oxygen triggers the initial symptoms of CO poisoning. Prompt treatment is key to preventing permanent damage.
What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
Mild to moderate CO poisoning causes headache, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, nausea, and irritated eyes. More severe poisoning leads to vomiting, loss of consciousness, seizures, neurological impairment, coma, and death.
Symptoms are often described as “flu-like” in the beginning and may be overlooked. Everyone is susceptible, but certain people are especially vulnerable to CO’s effects:
- Infants
- Elderly
- Pregnant women
- People with breathing problems like asthma or COPD
- People with heart disease
- Smokers – cigarettes introduce additional CO
Physical signs of CO poisoning to watch for include:
- Cherry red skin color
- Changes in vision
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Loss of coordination
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Chest pain
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
Exposure to lower concentrations of CO over long periods of time can also cause negative health effects without producing distinct symptoms. That’s why it’s critical to be aware of potential CO sources and prevent hazardous buildup.
How is CO poisoning diagnosed?
If CO poisoning is suspected, your doctor can order a simple blood test called a carboxyhemoglobin test. This measures the level of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in your blood, revealing the percentage of your hemoglobin bound to CO instead of oxygen.
Here are normal COHb levels vs. elevation with mild to severe CO poisoning:
| COHb Level | Status |
|---|---|
| Less than 3% | Normal |
| 3-10% | Mild poisoning |
| 10-20% | Moderate poisoning |
| 20-50% | Severe poisoning |
| Greater than 50% | Fatal poisoning |
Levels above 10% typically cause noticeable symptoms. Your COHb declines once you are removed from CO exposure, but measuring it shortly after suspected poisoning provides useful diagnostic data.
How to get CO out of your body
The most effective method for removing CO from your blood is to breathe in supplemental oxygen. This works through a basic chemical reaction:
Oxygen (O2) + Hemoglobin bound to CO (COHb) → Oxygen bound to Hemoglobin (O2Hb) + Carbon monoxide (CO)
The high concentration of O2 you inhale speeds up the separation of carbon monoxide from hemoglobin. The freed CO is exhaled from your lungs. Oxygen takes its place on hemoglobin so it can properly deliver O2 throughout the body again.
100% oxygen is typically administered through a tight-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth. Treatment times vary based on your COHb levels and symptoms. For mild poisoning, breathing oxygen for 2-3 hours may be sufficient. More severe poisoning requires 4-6 hours or longer under oxygen until COHb levels normalize.
Other possible treatments
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy – This involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The high-pressure environment causes more oxygen to dissolve in your blood plasma, allowing it to reach damaged tissues directly. This speeds the removal of COHb. Hyperbaric oxygen is used for severe CO poisoning cases.
- Airway support – Intubation with mechanical ventilation may be required if you’re unconscious or unable to breathe adequately.
- Fluids – Intravenous fluids help maintain blood pressure and prevent shock in severe poisoning cases.
The most vital steps for any CO poisoning are immediate removal from the source and prompt administration of supplemental oxygen. Call emergency services right away if you suspect CO exposure. Prompt action is critical to minimize permanent damage.
How to prevent CO poisoning
The best way to handle CO poisoning is avoiding it altogether. Here are some key prevention tips:
- Install CO detectors/alarms on every level of your home per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Have furnaces, water heaters, space heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces inspected annually. Replace any cracked or damaged parts.
- Never idle a car in a garage, even with the garage door open.
- Don’t use gas stoves/ovens for indoor heating.
- Don’t use charcoal grills or portable camping stoves indoors.
- Don’t run generators, pressure washers, or similar gas-powered tools inside a basement, garage, or other enclosed area.
- Don’t sit in a parked vehicle with the engine running for a prolonged time.
- Install and maintain CO alarms near all sleeping areas.
- Learn the symptoms of CO poisoning and seek medical help immediately if they appear.
- Replace smoke detectors according to expiration dates.
- Have chimneys inspected and cleaned annually.
- Open windows when using fuel-burning appliances.
- Follow all manufacturer instructions for proper venting of combustion appliances.
Being aware of potential CO sources, having proper ventilation, and using CO detectors can help avoid fatal exposures. But if you do suffer possible CO poisoning, fast action to get into fresh air and breathe high-concentration supplemental oxygen is critical for reducing permanent health damage.
Conclusion
Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that prevents oxygen delivery throughout the body. CO is released any time carbon-based fuels undergo incomplete combustion. Breathing too much CO can be fatal. Low to moderate levels cause flu-like symptoms that often go unrecognized. The only way to reverse CO poisoning is by breathing supplemental oxygen. This accelerates the separation of CO from hemoglobin and allows oxygen to take its place again.
If CO poisoning is suspected, leave the area immediately and seek medical help. A blood test can confirm high COHb levels. Oxygen via mask or hyperbaric chamber treatment will remove CO most effectively. Preventing CO buildup through proper appliance maintenance, ventilation, and CO detectors is essential for avoiding this life-threatening hazard. Recognizing the symptoms early and acting quickly are key to reducing permanent health consequences should CO poisoning occur.