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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
What is Carbon Monoxide poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by exposure to odourless and colourless gas known as carbon monoxide (CO). CO is found in combustion fumes. CO poisoning can be caused by truck or car exhausts, wood stoves, smoke from a fire, fuel burning appliances, non-electrical heaters, fireplaces, malfunctioning gas appliances and lastly faulty heating exhaust systems in the home. CO is also known as the silent killer. CO causes damage by displacing oxygen in the bloodstream when the CO is mixed into the in the air that we breathe. If for example a heater's combustion system malfunctions and CO escapes out the CO gas can be lethal and kill people in their sleep. CO poisoning generally occurs in homes, garages or other enclosed areas. Some people are more susceptible than others such as babies, pregnant women, and people with heart problems, breathing problems, or anaemia. Moderate CO exposure can cause dizziness, headaches, fainting, upset stomachs, shortness of breath and loss of muscle coordination.
How can HBOT treat Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is recommended for patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning, especially if they have lost consciousness or have severe poisoning.
HBOT treatment is advantages as it increases the patients oxygen intake to 100%, dissolves in the plasma and together with the increased pressure the oxygen can travel to all parts of the body and accelerate the elimination of CO from the body. Although many people with CO poisoning can be revived without hyperbaric oxygen therapy, long-term damage from CO poisoning can include harm to the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Several studies have shown that under certain conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can cut the risk for brain injury and nerve damage significantly.
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Links to HBOT and Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470531/
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https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/65/2/245
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