Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Prevention, Treatment and Outcomes

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-irritant, and environmental toxicant gas produced by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, and is an invisible hazard to humans. Because of these factors, it is described as "silent death". Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the important causes of emergency room admissions and is the leading cause of poisoning-related deaths. Humanity has had a complex relationship with carbon monoxide (CO) since the stone age. Although it is stated in historical documents about CO that Erasistratus said “coal fumes affect normal respiration” around 275 BC and that Aristotle said “coal fumes cause severe headache and death” around 350 BC, its toxic effects were first explained by Claude Bernard in 1865. Since the toxic effects of carbon monoxide gas were announced, many poisoning cases and deaths have been reported every year. A wide range of non-specific clinical manifestations are seen in CO poisoning. Clinical effects and findings of CO can be seen as acute, delayed, and chronic. The chronic effects of CO poisoning can negatively affect people throughout life. CO exposure varies according to societies, climatic conditions, development levels of countries, and occupational groups. While industrial accidents, exhaust gases, and suicide attempts are important causes in developed countries, household poisonings due to using heating equipment such as stoves and boilers are at the forefront in cold countries, especially in winter, depending on the climatic conditions. There is also a higher risk of poisoning in some professional occupations, such as firefighters, police, and industrial workers. CO poisoning is a poisoning that can be prevented by taking precautions. In cases of CO poisoning, the early interventions at the scene and the treatments in the emergency room and intensive care units in the early period reduce the negative effects of CO gas. Our aim in writing this book is to be a guide for physicians by looking at carbon monoxide poisoning from a wider perspective, and by writing the innovations in diagnosis, follow-up and treatment.