Carbon
monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, highly poisonous gas that may overcome
unsuspecting individuals or entire families while they sleep. Each year, the Life Support Technologies
group (LST) provides hyperbaric medical care to individuals, families and
firefighters who have been admitted to LST partner hospitals for treatment of carbon
monoxide (CO) poisoning. When inhaled,
CO bonds 230 times more readily with the blood’s hemoglobin than oxygen and
prevents the hemoglobin from transporting oxygen. When not fatal, CO can cause serious loss of
cognitive function if not detected early and properly treated. The good news is that CO poisoning can be
avoided with a little knowledge and some planning. It can also be treated; best results are
obtained when medical treatment occurs promptly after the on-set of CO poisoning.
Symptoms
of CO poisoning include: dull headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness
of breath, confusion, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness. CO poisoning symptoms may be misdiagnosed as
flu, food poisoning or a host of other maladies. According to data released by the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC), there was an annual average of 5,000 cases of non-fire
related CO poisoning in the United States from 2001 through 2003.
Carbon
Monoxide is emitted by car and truck engines, furnaces, fuel-burning space
heaters, charcoal grills, cooking ranges, water heaters, fireplaces, portable
generators, and wood-burning stoves. Smoke
inhalation during a fire is also a common cause of carbon monoxide
poisoning. A spike in carbon monoxide
poisonings is typically experienced during the Fall and Winter seasons in cold
areas.
Preventing
CO poisoning is relatively easy: maintain your appliances and engines in good
working condition, and do not operate charcoal grills, fuel-burning space heaters,
portable generators, car or truck engines in confined spaces. It is also advisable to install a carbon
monoxide detector near the sleeping area, but away from appliances or humid
areas, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In the event that you or a loved one suspect
carbon monoxide poisoning, it is critical to CALL 911 OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY
ROOM AND GET TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY.
If CO poisoning
is diagnosed, the standard of care in treatment is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. HBOT involves the patient breathing 100%
oxygen while they are under increased atmospheric pressure inside a hyperbaric
chamber. Usually, multiple HBOT treatments are required to completely break the
carbon monoxide-hemoglobin bond so that the victim’s blood can again properly transport
life-sustaining oxygen.
For more information see:
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
About the Life Support Technologies Group (LST)
The Life Support Technologies Group (LST) is a Tarrytown,
NY-based medical and life-support engineering company specializing in Advanced
Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Services to hospitals in the NY, NJ, CT region. LST has been in business for 20 years and
currently provides services to 9 hospitals.
Glenn
Butler, CEO
Life
Support Technologies Group
(914)
333-8412
