Other possible causes of carbon monoxide poisoning include: blocked flues and chimneys — this can stop carbon monoxide escaping, allowing it to reach dangerous levels burning fuel in an enclosed or unventilated space — for example, running a car engine, petrol-powered generator or barbecue inside a garage, or a faulty boiler in an enclosed kitchen faulty or blocked car exhausts — a leak or blockage in the exhaust pipe, such as after heavy snowfall, could lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide paint fumes — some cleaning fluids and paint removers contain methylene chloride dichloromethane ; this substance is broken down by the body into carbon monoxide smoking shisha pipes indoors — shisha pipes burn charcoal and tobacco, which can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide in enclosed or unventilated rooms Treating carbon monoxide poisoning Seek medical advice from your GP if you think you have been exposed to low levels of carbon monoxide.
Your house will also need to be checked for safety before anyone returns. Standard oxygen therapy Standard oxygen therapy in hospital will be needed if you have been exposed to a high level of carbon monoxide, or you have symptoms that suggest exposure. Breathing in concentrated oxygen enables your body to quickly replace carboxyhaemoglobin.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy Hyperbaric oxygen therapy HBOT floods the body with pure oxygen, helping it overcome the oxygen shortage caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Standard oxygen therapy is usually the recommended treatment option. Recovery The length of time it takes to recover from carbon monoxide poisoning will depend on how much carbon monoxide you have been exposed to and how long you have been exposed to it.
Complications of carbon monoxide poisoning Prolonged significant exposure to carbon monoxide can cause serious complications, including brain damage and heart problems. In very severe cases, it can result in death. Brain damage Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can cause memory problems and difficulty concentrating. Heart disease Coronary heart disease is another serious condition that can develop as a result of long-term carbon monoxide exposure.
Harm to unborn babies Long-term exposure to carbon monoxide gas can also damage an unborn baby. Babies exposed to carbon monoxide during pregnancy are at risk of: a low birth weight perinatal death stillbirth and death that occurs within the first 4 weeks of birth behavioural problems Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning It's important to be aware of the dangers and identify any appliances in your house that could potentially leak carbon monoxide.
Maintaining and servicing appliances Boilers, cookers, heating systems and appliances should be installed and regularly serviced by a reputable, registered engineer. Do not attempt to install or service appliances yourself. But an alarm is not a substitute for maintaining and regularly servicing household appliances.
You can buy a carbon monoxide alarm from a DIY or hardware store. Other safety tips at home and in the workplace Follow the safety tips below to help protect yourself at home and in the workplace: Never use ovens or gas ranges to heat your home.
Never use oversized pots on your gas stove or place foil around the burners. Make sure rooms are well ventilated and do not block air vents. If your home is double glazed or draught proofed, make sure there's still enough air circulating for any heaters that are in the room.
Do not use gas-powered equipment and tools inside your home if you can avoid it. Only use them in a well-ventilated area, and put the engine unit and exhaust outside. Always wear a safety mask when using chemicals that contain methylene chloride.
Do not burn charcoal in an enclosed space, such as on an indoor barbecue. Do not sleep in a room that has an unflued gas fire or paraffin heater. Fit an extractor fan in your kitchen if it does not already have one. CO binds to hemoglobin over times more easily than oxygen does, so if CO is present, oxygen will not be able to find space to get into the hemoglobin.
This is because the space is occupied with CO. The human body needs oxygen, but it has no use for CO. If we breathe in CO, it provides no benefit, but it deprives the blood of oxygen. Vitas Gerulaitis, the tennis star, died of CO poisoning in A person who is exposed to CO may notice that something is wrong, but they may not know where the symptoms are coming from.
The person may feel as if they have the flu , but without a temperature. If several people in the same building have the same symptoms, they may have CO poisoning. If this happens, all cooking and heating appliances should be switched off, all windows opened, and the local gas safety authorities notified.
People with heart-related or breathing problems tend to be affected more quickly by CO gas poisoning. Pregnant women, babies, and small children are also more susceptible.
Pets, too, will react quickly to CO poisoning. If a family pet suddenly gets ill or unexpectedly dies, and the death cannot be linked to anything else, such as age or an existing condition, the owners should try to rule out CO poisoning as one of the possible causes.
Household appliances, such as gas fires, boilers, central heating systems, water heaters, cookers, and open fires which use gas, oil, coal and wood may be possible sources of CO gas. It happens when the fuel does not burn fully. If household appliances are well serviced and used safely, they should produce negligible quantities of CO gas.
Using old appliances, and not servicing them frequently, leads to a higher risk of CO emission. Products that contain methylene chloride dichloromethane should be handled with care, because methylene chloride turns into CO when it is breathed in. A physician may request a blood test to detect unusual levels of carboxyhemoglobin and perhaps an electrocardiogram ECG assess how well the heart is pumping blood around the body.
The first step is to move away from the possible source of CO gas, and to have symptoms assessed. If symptoms are severe, the person may be hospitalized. Carbon monoxide detector. Have your heating system serviced annually. Quick Links. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website.
0コメント