About this topic
Carbon monoxide is a gas. It is also called CO. You cannot see, smell, or taste it. Burning fuel and car engines give off carbon monoxide. You have carbon monoxide poisoning if you breathe in too much of this gas. When you breathe in the CO gas, it replaces oxygen in your blood. Then, the tissues in your body are not able to get enough oxygen. This can be life-threatening. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Many times, you do not have to do any treatment at home.
- Make sure the source of the carbon monoxide poisoning is fixed before going back home.
- Be sure carbon monoxide detectors are working right.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help your heart work better
- Control seizures
Will physical activity be limited?
Once treated, most people do not need to limit their activity. If you had long-lasting damage to your heart or brain, you may not be able to do certain things. Ask your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
Will there be any other care needed?
If CO causes brain or heart damage, these problems will need to be treated. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Long-lasting brain damage
- Heart damage
- Damage to other tissues such as the kidneys
- Death
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Have a CO detector by the sleeping areas in your home. Check that it is working twice a year. Many people do this when changing the clocks in the spring and fall.
- Make sure your appliances are safe.
- Make sure that gas appliances are vented. Have an expert fix or install any vent pipes. Do not attempt to patch pipes yourself. Vent pipes that run side to side should always be angled up slightly. They should not be level to the floor.
- Have an expert come to the home every year to check your heating systems. They should also check water heaters, gas appliances, and fireplaces.
- Heat your home safely.
- Do not use portable chemical heaters indoors. Never use your gas range or oven for heating your home.
- Never use charcoal, outdoor grills, or portable gas camp heaters indoors.
- Make sure all fireplaces and stoves are vented. Have your fireplaces cleaned and checked every year. Make sure there are no blocks and the air flows freely.
- Do not use generators indoors.
- Take extra care with cars and trucks.
- Have the exhaust system checked each year.
- Never leave a car running inside a garage with the garage door closed. Open your garage door before starting your engine.
- If your tailgate is open on your truck, open vents or windows. If only the tailgate is open, exhaust can be pulled into the car.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Problems breathing
- Feeling very tired or confused
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Upset stomach or throwing up
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
If you are having problems, such as ongoing flu-like signs and especially if another person in your household is also having the same signs, tell your doctor right away. Sometimes, ongoing CO poisoning can look like the flu. ‚
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how I will take extra care to prevent this from happening in the future.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have trouble breathing, feel tired or dizzy, or have an upset stomach.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm ‚
Federal Emergency Management Association ‚
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/co/fswy17.shtm ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚