Intentional CO poisoning occurs more frequently in the northern United States and other cold climates, peaking during the winter months when there is increased utilization of gasoline-powered generators and kerosene heaters. Intentional poisoning is significantly more lethal, with rates of death 5 to 10 times higher. Inadvertent CO exposures account for approximately 1,000 to 2,000 deaths per year with an overall mortality of around 1% to 3%, though case-fatality rates vary. Exposure can be intentional or accidental. It is responsible for 50,000 emergency department visits annually and 1,200 deaths. Ĭarbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a leading cause of morbidity by poisoning in the United States. This is typically 1 to 3 percent in non-smokers and 10 to 15 percent in smokers. A small amount of carbon monoxide is generated endogenously with the breakdown of heme, and every person has a detectable amount of carboxyhemoglobin at baseline. Methylene chloride, an industrial solvent and component of paint remover, also generates CO when metabolized. Other common sources include fires and tobacco smoke. Intentional carbon monoxide poisoning with motor vehicles is a common method of suicide, as lethal concentrations can be generated in just 10 minutes within a closed space. Common sources include motor vehicles, boats, faulty heaters, gas-powered generators, propane stoves, and charcoal grills, and toxicity becomes a concern when the aforementioned machines are operated in improperly ventilated or semi-enclosed spaces. It is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons (fossil fuels) and comprises less than 0.001 percent of the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas. Carboxyhemoglobin is the complex formed within red blood cells when hemoglobin is exposed to carbon monoxide, subsequently binding to hemoglobin with an affinity 200 times that of oxygen.
0 kommentar(er)
