Carbon monoxide (CO) is a chemical that causes acute poisoning. It is dangerous to health and life. The negative effect of carbon monoxide on the human body is based on the transformation of the blood composition and damage to the respiratory system. The consequences of poisoning are very serious, often fatal.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless gaseous substance, without a specific odor, and lighter in density than air. Highly flammable.
The substance is very toxic. Since it is odorless. Fatal cases of poisoning are recorded frequently. CO is formed during the combustion of any material and is concentrated in the air. Once in the body, the substance interacts with hemoglobin and forms a strong complex - carboxyhemoglobin. Such a compound disrupts the physiological functions of the blood, blocks the transport of oxygen to the tissues. As a result of oxygen starvation, biochemical processes are disrupted.
When a person breathes in polluted air, carbon monoxide chemically reacts with hemoglobin faster than oxygen. With each inhalation, the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin increases.
Signs of poisoning appear when hemoglobin is replaced:
The higher the CO content in the air, the faster it accumulates in the body. The lethal dose is 0.1% in the inhaled air (death occurs within an hour). Carbon monoxide is a toxic substance that belongs to the 2nd and 3rd hazard class (medium and high). Indoors, signs of intoxication appear faster than in open areas. In a state of physical activity, the time of a person's poisoning is reduced; in a state of rest, the degree of poisoning increases slowly. This is due to the fact that the load on the body increases the respiratory rate and lung volume.
Most often, CO poisoning occurs in closed rooms during domestic fires. The risk group includes residents of private houses with gas or stove heating. An improperly designed air exchange system (ventilation, draft in chimneys) contributes to the accumulation of matter in the room.
For industrial purposes, carbon monoxide is used to synthesize organic compounds. In case of non-observance and gross violation of safety measures, the risk of poisoning among employees increases.
Carbon monoxide is a constituent of automobile emissions. Therefore, the substance can be poisoned in a garage with insufficient ventilation, poor ventilation, in long tunnels, with a long stay near highways and congested highways.
At home, you can get poisoned with unclosed stove dampers, with a leakage of lamp gas, which is used in heating systems of private buildings. There have been recorded cases of intoxication with the abuse of hookah.
The effect of carbon monoxide on the human body depends on the level of its concentration in the air. A mild degree of damage to the body quickly turns into a medium one and is manifested by suffocation and headache. The nervous system is the first to react to a lack of oxygen. Signs of her defeat:
Carbon monoxide poisoning during pregnancy, even at low concentrations, leads to the death of the embryo in the early stages and the fetus in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. A mild degree of intoxication is deadly for people with severe heart and vascular diseases.
In severe poisoning, the victim develops drowsiness, apathy, constant tinnitus, and headaches become more intense. Due to the defeat of the nasal mucosa, a profuse rhinitis appears. Nausea worsens, vomiting more frequent. The motor muscles are affected by paralysis against the background of ataxia - destabilization of the coordination of motor activity. Breathing becomes rapid and shallow. The person is conscious, but it is confused.
The effects of carbon monoxide on the human body at high concentrations are characterized by the following symptoms, which indicates extremely severe poisoning:
Before the ambulance arrives, it is important to provide the person with first aid. When entering the room, open the door wide open, support it with any heavy object so that it does not close. Then you should stop the supply of carbon monoxide - close the damper on the stove, turn off the heating system. Then open all the windows in the room. The air flow will instantly reduce the carbon monoxide concentration.
Take the victim outside as soon as possible, free him from embarrassing clothing, cover with a warm blanket or blanket. If the weather is clear outside, it is better to place the person in the sun, and not in the shade. Direct sunlight destroys carboxyhemoglobin.
If the victim is not breathing, proceed with resuscitation measures - heart massage and artificial respiration.
Upon the arrival of the ambulance, the patient is immediately connected to the oxygen cushion. The O 2 supply must be continuous and powerful for 3 hours. An ambulance doctor is obliged to inject a person with acisol - an antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Pharmacological action of the drug:
Acisol as an antidote to carbon monoxide is injected intramuscularly in 1 ml. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 4 ml. The course of treatment with the drug is from 7 to 10 days. No side effects of the antidote have been identified. Sometimes a painful infiltration may occur at the injection site. In case of an overdose, the patient develops a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, and headaches.
To stimulate respiration, the nervous and vascular systems, caffeine is prescribed subcutaneously. The action of the drug:
Carboxylase (an enzyme) helps to partially remove carbon monoxide from the body. It promotes the rupture of the carboxyhemoglobin complex, the cleavage of CO molecules from hemoglobin. The drug is administered intravenously.
Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic substance. Therefore, in rare cases, human poisoning passes without a trace. Intoxication of the body leads to consequences of varying severity.
Possible complications:
People who have suffered from CO poisoning often develop late complications, after several months or even years. The psyche and nervous system suffer the most.
Patients complain of memory loss, decreased concentration and intelligence. A person does not perceive new information well, loses the ability to learn. Psychoses develop gradually - the reaction and mental activity of a person contradicts reality. The perception of the surrounding world is disturbed, the behavior is disorganized.
Long-term consequences of damage to the nervous system:
From the side of the heart, such pathologies appear over time;
On the part of the respiratory system - frequent outbreaks of pneumonia.
To reduce the likelihood of severe complications, it is important to provide emergency medical care on time and administer an antidote.
The effect of carbon monoxide on health always contributes to a serious malfunction of the internal systems and organs. In most cases, it leads to the death of a person. Therefore, precaution in the operation of heating devices should be paramount. Health and safety rules must not be neglected. In rooms where there is a risk of increasing the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, you need to install a special sensor to monitor the situation. This device operates on batteries or mains and does not require any special maintenance. When a toxic substance in the air rises, it beeps.
Carbon monoxide poisoning (from the vernacular "get sick") is an extremely dangerous human condition that can even lead to death. According to statistics, CO poisoning is one of the most common among the main causes of domestic accidents. And since first aid for carbon monoxide poisoning can be decisive, everyone needs to know the basic rules for providing it.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur:
Carbon monoxide is really very insidious: it is odorless and at the same time is formed wherever combustion can occur in conditions of a lack of oxygen. Carbon monoxide replaces carbon dioxide gas, so the poisoning occurs completely imperceptibly.
Once in the human bloodstream during respiration, CO binds hemoglobin cells and forms carboxyhemoglobin. Bound hemoglobin is unable to carry oxygen to tissue cells.
With a decrease in the amount of "workable" hemoglobin in the blood, the amount of oxygen required by the body for normal functioning also decreases. Hypoxia occurs, or suffocation, headache occurs, blackout or loss of consciousness occurs. If you do not provide first aid to a person in a timely manner, death from carbon monoxide poisoning is inevitable.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the following symptoms consistently occur:
The degree of harm to the body directly depends on the concentration of CO in the inhaled air:
In case of coming out of a coma, serious complications are possible, since hemoglobin cells are restored and cleaned for a rather long time. That is why it is extremely important to timely and correctly provide first aid for carbon monoxide poisoning.
First aid for carbon monoxide poisoning involves the following measures:
Remember: the impact of CO on the human body can have irreversible consequences, therefore, the correct first aid for carbon monoxide poisoning can save someone's life.
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when a lot of carbon monoxide enters the body during breathing, a product that appears when various types of fuel or combustible substances and products are incompletely burned out. To avoid serious complications and consequences, you must be able to recognize intoxication in time and know the rules for providing first aid to the victim.
Carbon monoxide is a strong poisonemergingwith incomplete combustion of carbon compounds, in particular liquid and gaseous fuels... It has neither color, nor smell, nor taste. The consequences of its effect on the body can be different and depend on the percentage of carbon monoxide in the air.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, a violation of the biochemical balance occurs.
CO affects the cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems. The result of the interaction of hemoglobin and carbon monoxide is carboxyhemoglobin. This connection leads to impaired blood cell transport and, as a result, to oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) and brain dysfunctions.
There are 2 types of intoxication:
All factors provoking acute poisoning are somehow connectedwith combustion products... Potential sources of danger and obvious causes of intoxication:
Urban smog is an additional factor.
An increased likelihood of intoxication is noted in the following population groups:
Women are less likely to be exposed to carbon monoxide than men.
| Poisoning degree | Typical symptoms |
| Easy | It is characterized by the typical symptoms of intoxication:
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| Average | In addition to the above, the following symptoms may appear:
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| Heavy | Accompanied by serious deviations:
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Against the background of acute poisoning, the following complications may manifest themselves in the future:
Usually, people suffer from chronic poisoning, whose activities are related to heating systems, with the operation of devices and mechanisms operating on the basis of internal combustion engines operating on different fuels.
Symptoms in this case will be as follows:
Over time, absolutely healthy people may develop atherosclerosis, the appearance of abnormalities in the work of the endocrine system. Obvious psychoses are not excluded.
In case of CO poisoning during pregnancy, depending on the period, the following phenomena can be observed:
Against the background of carbon monoxide intoxication, atypical poisoning may occur, namely:
Death resulting from CO poisoning is often called "sweet", which is associated precisely with a state of euphoria, absence of pain and immersion in sleep.
Childhood intoxicationoften happens qeven at low concentrations of carbon monoxidein the air... In the absence of timely assistance, the child may die within 5-10 minutes.
Babies develop the following symptoms:
The rest of the symptoms of poisoning with poison are the same as in adults.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is very important to provide first aid as soon as possible.
In order to avoid serious complications and consequences, if the main signs of intoxication are detected, first aid must be provided:
As part of first aid, an antidote can be used to reduce the effects of carbon monoxide on the human body. Acyzole accelerates the breakdown of carboxyhemoglobin, thereby facilitating the addition of oxygen.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning in a hospital, a special procedure is used - hyperbaric oxygenation, that is, the supply of oxygen to the body in a pressure chamber. Given the severity of intoxication, different methods of treatment are used:
Timely treatment prevents neurological complications from developing and promotes rapid recovery.
Several preventive measures will help reduce the risk of carbon monoxide toxicity:
In addition, you should abandon:
Important! Do not sleep in a car with the engine running or stay in an insulated truck body for a long time.
Poisoning by products of incomplete combustion of fuel and other hydrocarbon compounds is extremely life-threatening. It requires immediate first aid. Treatment of the consequences of carbon monoxide intoxication should take place in a hospital under the supervision of qualified medical personnel.
One of the most common and severe forms of intoxication is carbon monoxide poisoning, which causes serious damage to human systems and organs. Often, at high concentrations of a substance in the air, a lethal outcome is possible. During a fire, people often die precisely because of poisoning by combustion products.
By the time the first characteristic signs of intoxication appear, the internal organs of the human body have already suffered.
Intoxication with carbon monoxide occurs almost instantly. If the content of gas in the air is in the range of 1.2-1.4% and the person is not provided with the necessary assistance, he dies within a few minutes.
First of all, under the influence of carbon monoxide, red blood cells - erythrocytes - are affected. They lose the ability to carry the necessary oxygen to tissue structures. In the process, acute hypoxia develops. The nervous system reacts to the ingress of gas into the body, giving malfunctions.
In the future, skeletal muscles and myocardium begin to be affected. The heart does not pump blood as needed. It is important to respond as quickly as possible to carbon monoxide poisoning and provide first aid. Otherwise, the consequences can be unpredictable.
The most common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning are:
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning differ depending on the stage of intoxication, therefore, the treatment is carried out individually. The manifestations of a life-threatening condition can be lightning-fast, and also occur within a couple of months after contact with carbon monoxide. The stages of the condition differ depending on the amount of inhaled toxic substance. There are three degrees of severity of the lesion:
The initial stage is characterized by the appearance of vomiting, weakness throughout the body, noise in the auricles. These reactions are inherent in brain damage. It is the nervous system that first responds to oxygen deprivation.
This type is distinguished by more pronounced manifestations. The symptomatology of damage to the nervous system and the brain increases. There appear weakness, tremors in the muscle structures, the nature of the movements performed is disrupted. A few hours later, due to intoxication, the work of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems changes. Tachycardia, myocardial insufficiency occur, the pulse becomes more frequent. A person can lose consciousness and, in the absence of timely assistance, die.
This degree of poisoning is characterized by the appearance of a coma in the victim for 7 days. Disorders in the brain become irreversible, convulsive phenomena occur, a person cannot control the processes of bowel movement and urination. Breathing in severe cases becomes intermittent, body temperature rises to 38.5-39.5 degrees.
It is important to know the basic manifestations of carbon monoxide poisoning in order to respond as quickly as possible to changes in the body and provide emergency assistance. The first symptoms are coughing, nausea, and vomiting.
On the part of the nervous system, headaches occur, localized in the forehead and temples, noise in the auricles, dizziness. In addition, it is noted:
There are no pronounced changes on the skin and mucous membranes during intoxication with carbon monoxide. Redness may occur in the initial stages, as well as pallor of the skin and mucous membranes in severe carbon monoxide poisoning.
With mild to moderate carbon dioxide poisoning, changes such as a sharp increase in heart rate and blood pressure are observed, as well as pressing pains appear in the myocardium.
A strong degree of damage is characterized by the risk of developing preinfarction conditions, while the number of heart beats is up to 130 per minute.
The consequences of carbon monoxide poisoning are conventionally divided into two types - early and late.
The first type of complications occurs 2–4 days after poisoning. Headaches appear, motor activity changes. In addition, there may be observed:
Late types of complications after carbon monoxide poisoning occur on days 4–45. Typical for this stage are:
It is important to first take the victim outside and provide fresh air. If this is not possible, create a strong draft by opening all windows and doors. You need to immediately call an ambulance.
Until the moment the medical team arrives, it is important to carry out a set of measures based on the maximum relief of the person's condition. Help with carbon monoxide poisoning consists in performing the following points:
It is necessary that the person remains in a lying position on their side. This will protect him from tongue sinking or suffocation with vomit.
In case of moderate and severe poisoning, the victim is necessarily hospitalized and treatment is carried out in a hospital. The main antidote is oxygen. For this, a special mask is put on the patient with an oxygen supply from 9 to 16 liters per minute. In the absence of consciousness, intubation is performed and the person is transferred to mechanical ventilation (artificial lung ventilation).
To eliminate the symptoms of carbon monoxide intoxication, use the drug "Acizol". The main active ingredient of the drug is zinc bisvinylimidazole diacetate. It is a powerful antidote for poisoning with carbon monoxide, medicinal and biological substances. Zinc diacetate is able to accelerate the breakdown of carboxyhemoglobin, helping to saturate the blood with oxygen, reducing the effect of toxic substances on the cellular structures of the nervous system and muscles.
Affected people after carbon monoxide poisoning need a complex of vitamin preparations that replenish the expended energy forces.
The video tells about first aid to victims of poisoning:
To avoid complications of intoxication of the body, you can use the methods of traditional medicine. It is important to note that this type of treatment is combined with medical professional help. Infusions (cranberry-lingonberry, from knotweed), tincture on alcohol from Rhodiola rosea and dandelion roots help to get rid of toxins in the body. It should be remembered that this is just an adjunctive therapy and should not be the main focus.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is always easier to prevent than to treat it later. Observing basic rules, you can protect yourself from serious consequences. Do not forget that even with mild degrees of poisoning with poisonous gas, you must definitely seek the advice of your doctor.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a common and severe form of intoxication that can cause serious damage to human organs and systems, up to and including death. The consequences of the postponed poisoning often lead to disability and disability of the victims. In Russia, carbon monoxide poisoning ranks first among the causes of death from acute poisoning. Fatalities occur mainly at the scene. Timely assistance to the victim, carried out at the scene of the accident, during transportation and in hospital conditions, can significantly reduce the risk of severe complications and the number of deaths.
Carbon monoxide is considered a blood poison because it primarily affects blood cells (red blood cells). Normally, red blood cells carry oxygen to organs and tissues with the help of a special protein - hemoglobin. Once in the blood, carbon monoxide binds tightly to hemoglobin, forming a destructive compound - carboxyhemoglobin. In this case, red blood cells lose their ability to carry oxygen and deliver it to vital organs. The entire body begins to experience oxygen starvation (hypoxia). Nerve cells are most sensitive to lack of oxygen. And therefore, the first symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are associated with a malfunction of the nervous system (headache, dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, etc.).
1. Inhalation of vehicle exhaust gases, prolonged stay in closed garages in a car with a running engine; 2. Carbon monoxide poisoning at home: malfunction of heating devices (fireplaces, stoves, etc.), leakage of household propane gas (propane contains 4-11% CO), prolonged burning of kerosene lamps, etc.
3. Poisoning in fires(buildings, transport cars, elevators, airplanes, etc.)
The manifestation of symptoms in carbon monoxide poisoning directly depends on its concentration in the inhaled air and on the duration of its effect on the human body. So when the concentration of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere is 0.02-0.03% and the exposure time to the body is 4-6 hours, the following symptoms will appear: headache, dizziness, nausea, impaired coordination of movements. And at a concentration of 0.1-0.2% and a duration of exposure of 1-2 hours, coma occurs, respiratory arrest and death is possible. | What is amazed? | Mild to moderate | Severe degree | Mechanism of occurrence |
| CNS (central nervous system) |
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| The most sensitive organ to a lack of oxygen is the brain and all the nerve structures adjacent to it. Thus, all the primary symptoms like headache, dizziness, tinnitus, nausea are the result of nerve cells suffering from oxygen deprivation. All subsequent symptoms such as impaired coordination, loss of consciousness, convulsions are the consequences of a deeper damage to the nervous structures from a lack of oxygen. |
| The cardiovascular system |
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| The body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen by more intense work of the heart, pumping as much blood as possible (heartbeat, rapid pulse). Pain is a signal of a lack of nutrition in the heart muscle. Complete impairment of oxygen delivery to the heart muscle leads to a heart attack. |
| Respiratory system |
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| Rapid breathing is a compensatory mechanism in response to a lack of oxygen. In a severe stage, the respiratory regulation center is damaged, which is accompanied by superficial and irregular respiratory movements. |
| Skin and mucous membranes |
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| The result of increased blood flow to the head area. In a severe stage, the body is depleted and loses its ability to pump blood efficiently. In places of insufficient blood circulation, the skin turns pale. |
| The content of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood |
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| Form | Symptoms | Mechanism of occurrence |
| Fainting form |
| The exact mechanism is unknown. It is assumed that under the influence of a lack of oxygen and the toxic effect of CO, the center of vascular tone regulation is affected. This leads to a sharp drop in pressure and loss of consciousness. |
| Euphoric form |
| The toxic effect of carbon monoxide on the centers of higher nervous activity. |
| Lightning-fast carbon monoxide poisoning, occurs in cases where the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air exceeds 1.2% per 1m³. In a matter of minutes, the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the victim's blood reaches 75% or more. This, in turn, is accompanied by loss of consciousness, convulsions, respiratory paralysis and death in less than 3 minutes. |
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| Consequences of carbon monoxide poisoning |
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| What is amazed? | Early complications acute poisoning (the first 2 days after poisoning) | Late complications acute poisoning (2-40 days) | Mechanism of occurrence |
| Nervous system |
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| The cardiovascular system |
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| Respiratory system |
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| Not really | Why? |
| Yes need! And this must be done as soon as they saw the victim.
| Only a doctor is able to objectively assess the condition of the victim. Symptoms and signs of poisoning do not always indicate the true severity of the poisoning. Development of long-term complications is possible, after 2 days or several weeks. Timely started drug treatment can reduce the percentage of deaths and disabilities as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. |
Indications for hospitalization for carbon monoxide poisoning:
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| Help steps | How? | What for? | |
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|  | One cycle: 2 breaths and 30 chest compressions. See Indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration. |
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| Lay down to reduce oxygen consumption. With hypothermia or overheating, the body spends a lot of energy to maintain the necessary balance. |
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Treatment: 1 ml intramuscularly, as soon as possible after poisoning. Re-introduction after 1 hour. For prevention: 1 ml intramuscularly, 20-30 minutes before entering the danger zone. | Oxygen competes with CO for a place “on hemoglobin,” thus, the more oxygen there is, the more chances it has to displace CO and take its natural place. Acizol- antidote to carbon monoxide, accelerates the breakdown of the pathological compound - carboxyhemoglobin and promotes the addition of oxygen to hemoglobin. Reduces the toxic effect of CO on cells. It is also used as a prophylactic agent, several times reduces the harmful effects of carbon monoxide on the body. |
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