The first sign of carbon monoxide poisoning. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide blocks the process of delivering oxygen to organs and tissues.

Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, but poisonous when ingested. The accumulation of high concentrations in the blood can be fatal.

Carbon dioxide quickly interacts with hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin, a stable compound. If the CO dose is exceeded, oxygen starvation, brain hypoxia may occur due to the lack of oxygen transport to the brain.

Despite living in a civilized world, there are still many provoking factors that can lead to poisoning.

Where can poisoning occur?

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur:

in rooms with old stoves and a chimney that has not been cleaned for a long time;
in places where gas burners with an open flame are used;
in enclosed space in case of non-compliance with the rules for the operation of heating devices;
in garages, inside the car with the electric motor on;
in places smoky with forest fires.

In particular, the risk group includes:

people suffering from exhaustion, bronchitis, bronchial asthma;
pregnant women and teenagers;
smokers who abuse alcohol;
living in premises using old stoves and with high probability accidental inhalation of peat decomposition products.

Clinical manifestations of poisoning

When carbon dioxide enters the body, the brain first of all reacts. When exposed to CO, blood ceases to flow to the departments in full. Intoxication of the body occurs, and the signs directly depend on the degree of concentration of carbon monoxide that has entered the bloodstream.

If you do not provide timely assistance to the victim, then mental disorders are also likely from the side of the central nervous system, confusion, increased heart rate, nausea, and blanching of the skin. Myocardial infarction, respiratory arrest, hypoxia may occur. Recovery of breathing and heart muscle is required. With more serious symptoms CO poisoning: plummet pressure, hallucinations, nervous paralysis, cramps of the limbs, death can occur at lightning speed, no more than 90 seconds later. The danger is neurological disorders may appear later, 2-3 weeks after poisoning.

How to understand that this is poisoning?

If a person inhales gas, then symptoms such as:

dry cough;
hallucinations;
high blood pressure;
nausea and vomiting;
decreased attention, performance;
dizziness;
drowsiness;
headache;
redness of the sclera of the eyes;
lacrimation;
confusion;
flickering before the eyes;
loss of consciousness;
convulsive state;
impaired coordination of movements, functions of defecation and urination.

Carbon monoxide quickly affects the brain and hypoxia can quickly set in. Functions of all internal organs become almost uncontrollable. Poisoning can affect the cardiovascular and respiratory system, lead to:

pressing pain behind the sternum;
increased pulsation, heartbeat;
myocardium in case of interruption of oxygen delivery to the heart;
shortness of breath
violation of the functions of the heart, psychomotor, the main center of the brain;
loss of consciousness;
a sharp drop in blood pressure against the background of the expansion of the vascular walls.

When the concentration of carbon dioxide is exceeded by 1.2% fatal outcome can come in minutes.

Symptoms depending on the percentage of CO in the body

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning directly depend on the concentration accumulated in the body. So:

at 0.8-0.9%, the victim will not lose consciousness and can independently guess about the poisoning in case of nausea, dizziness, pain in the temples, tachycardia attacks, palpitations, tinnitus;
at a content of 0.31-0 32%, in addition to the above symptoms, there will additionally appear: drowsiness, hallucinations, impaired coordination of movements, paralysis of the limbs, if emergency assistance is not provided to the victim;
with the accumulation of gas at 0.81%, death can occur in 2-3 minutes. With such concentration, a person is not able to help himself. If you do not carry out a heart massage and ventilation of the lungs, then when the gas concentration in the blood reaches 0.1%, a lethal outcome can occur after 2 hours.

How to provide first aid?

First of all, it is necessary to determine whether the victim is conscious. On which the course of action will depend. However, regardless of the degree to which the gas concentration enters and spreads through the blood into urgently in order to avoid negative impact CO on the lungs, you need:

unfasten the buttons and lay the victim on his side;
try to induce a gag reflex;
do a chest massage
moisten a gauze bandage with water and apply to the nose, changing every 10 minutes, preventing the mucosa from drying out;
lead artificial respiration, if possible - ventilation of the lungs;
try to bring the victim to his senses by bringing a cotton swab with ammonia to his nose;
urgently deliver to the nearest hospital or call an ambulance.

The main thing is to prevent the development of paralysis of the respiratory tract due to the accumulated carbon dioxide concentrate in the body. Moreover, signs of poisoning may not appear immediately, but after 20-30 minutes if carbon monoxide is released from carboxyhemoglobin and enters into contact with hemoglobin. There may be a short-term fainting state.

In addition to providing emergency assistance the patient needs:

stop the flow of carbon dioxide in the room;
turn off the car engine or turn off the gas burner;
remove the victim to fresh air;
open windows in the room;
call 03.

What will the doctors do first?

In the resuscitation team in case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the algorithm is universal:

providing the body with oxygen;
conducting artificial ventilation lungs;
correction of hemodynamics in the absence of consciousness in the victim;
intravenous administration through a dropper of sodium bicarbonate 4%.

The scheme is developed taking into account the degree of poisoning and the patient's condition. In addition, the body needs to restore energy reserve forces, therefore, vitamins, glucose, ascorbic acid are introduced. The pressure must be controlled. Medications are prescribed to relieve seizures.

What are the possible complications?

If the degree of poisoning is mild, then the symptoms (dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, sore throat, tightness in the heart, dry cough) after first aid should eventually disappear.

If the degree of poisoning is medium, then the signs (weakness in the legs, blurred vision, confusion, convulsions, pain in the sternum) disappear, but subsequently complications from the central nervous system and cardiovascular system are quite possible.

A severe degree of etching is fraught with:

swelling of the brain;
stop breathing;
coma;
development of renal, heart failure;
pulmonary edema.

The consequences can be serious and it all depends on the prompt action of the doctors. Possible development of pneumonia, pulmonary edema, cardiac asthma, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, disorders and motor nervous system, parkinsonism.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, which do not pass without a trace, are dangerous to health. Carbon monoxide manifests itself immediately in the form of symptoms or can give distant foci, appear after some time, lead to damage to the nervous system, deterioration of vision and hearing, cerebral edema, memory impairment and decrease in mental capacity. Vital organs can be severely damaged.

special danger carbon monoxide presents for pregnant women and children. The consequences of even a slight concentration of carbon monoxide in the blood can become irreversible.

Prevention

In order to avoid intoxication at the enterprises, the worker must be instructed. It is permissible to work only on serviceable equipment. In order to prevent, it is worth advising:

carrying out timely cleaning of furnace devices and chimneys;
ventilation of premises when using gas burners, columns with an open flame;
observing safety precautions in the garage with the car engine running;
checking the operation of the air exchange in your car.

Carbon monoxide poisoning and an increase in the concentration of CO2 in the blood is fraught with death, which must always be remembered. If the first symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning appear, then it is necessary to provide assistance in time and, if necessary, isolate close relatives, to prevent possible inhalation.

Accidents can happen to anyone and are almost impossible to prevent. But each of us needs to have information on how to behave if such a nuisance happened to someone close to us or just to a random stranger. So a fairly common and at the same time dangerous accident is carbon monoxide poisoning, symptoms, the treatment of which should be known in advance.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in different situations, for example, by inhalation, in case of carbon monoxide poisoning in everyday life (in case of leakage of domestic gas or in case of malfunction of appliances, etc.). Also, such an accident can occur due to poisoning in a fire.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Manifestations of carbon monoxide poisoning depend on its concentration in the inhaled air, as well as on the duration of its exposure to human body.

At mild form carbon monoxide poisoning in a person begins a headache, which is shingles in nature, and can be localized in the temples or in the forehead area. The victim is worried about dizziness, noise sensations in the ears and an unpleasant flicker before the eyes. Consciousness becomes clouded, coordination of movements is disturbed, visual acuity and hearing may decrease. In some cases, there is a short-term loss of consciousness, and nausea often occurs, turning into vomiting.

Many victims of carbon monoxide poisoning complain of rapid pulse, palpitations and pressure pain in the region of the heart. Breathing becomes frequent, shortness of breath occurs. When exposed to carbon monoxide, the skin of the face, as well as mucous membranes, turns bright red or pink color.

With a severe degree of carbon monoxide poisoning, the victim loses consciousness, he may begin to have convulsions. Sometimes pathological processes cause coma, involuntary urination or defecation. The pulse is quite frequent, but weakly palpable. The likelihood of development increases. The victim's breathing becomes shallow and intermittent, the skin and mucous membranes look pale with an unexpressed pinkish tinge.

Carbon monoxide poisoning - urgent care

The first step is to stop the aggressive effect of carbon monoxide on a person: take it to fresh air or use an oxygen mask (you can also use a gas mask with a hopcalite cartridge). In the room, it is necessary to dissolve the windows and doors for ventilation.

Clear Airways the victim, then remove the tie from his neck, unbutton his shirt, etc. It is best to lay the person on his side.

To stimulate the respiratory processes, bring the patient to consciousness and activate blood flow to the head area, let the victim smell ammonia. But do not bring it closer to the nose by less than one centimeter. Rub the patient's chest, you can place mustard plasters on your back and chest - this is how you stimulate.
Give the patient hot tea and coffee - to increase the tone of the nervous system and to stimulate breathing.

If necessary, the victim is carried out. At the same time, for thirty clicks on the sternum area, two breaths are taken.

After that, it is necessary to lay the patient on his side and warm him well, protecting him from hypothermia. And of course call ambulance! Such actions consist in providing first aid in case of gas poisoning.

Carbon monoxide poisoning - treatment of the victim

Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning by doctors begins with the use of an antidote -. For carbon monoxide poisoning, doctors use one hundred percent oxygen, it is applied at 10-15 l / min and served through a mask adjacent to the face. If the patient is unconscious, specialists carry out intubation and transfer the victim to a ventilator (artificial lung ventilation) again with one hundred percent oxygen.

Also, the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning involves infusion therapy. It is aimed at correcting hemodynamic disorders and. Patients are intravenously injected with sodium bicarbonate (soda) - four percentage solution in the amount of four hundred milliliters. Hemodez is also carried out or the introduction of polyionic solutions (quartosal, chlosol, acesol).

Therapy for carbon monoxide poisoning may involve the use of acyzol, an antidote for carbon monoxide. Such a tool helps to accelerate the breakdown of aggressive carboxyhemoglobin and promotes the addition of oxygen to hemoglobin. effectively reduces toxic effect carbon monoxide on the cells of the brain and the whole body. It is usually used for intramuscular injection, introducing one milliliter of the drug as early as possible after the poisoning has occurred. Re-introduction carried out in an hour.

Victims are also given vitamin preparations, they contribute to the recovery of energy costs. Solutions are usually the drugs of choice. ascorbic acid(five percent in an amount of twenty milliliters) and glucose (forty percent in a volume of sixty milliliters). These drugs are administered intravenously.

Doctors who manage patients who have had carbon monoxide poisoning should be prepared for correction as well. Also, patients may develop convulsions and even coma.

FROM lung poisoning degree can be handled outpatient settings. If poisoning of moderate or severe severity has occurred, hospitalization is indispensable.

Carbon monoxide poisoning - home treatment

Coping with the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning can be done using traditional medicine. Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning at home can be carried out after the patient has received a qualified medical care and permission to return home.

Treatment after carbon monoxide poisoning with infusion of cranberries and lingonberries. Healers advise combining one hundred grams of dried berries with two hundred grams of lingonberries. Rub them well and combine with three hundred milliliters of boiling water. Infuse the medicine for two hours, then strain. Take an infusion of cranberries and lingonberries fifty milliliters six times a day.

Infusion of knotweed - use for carbon monoxide poisoning. To quickly remove aggressive substances from the body, prepare a dry one. Brew a couple of tablespoons of such crushed raw materials with half a liter of only boiled water. Insist for one to two hours, then strain. Take the finished drink in half a glass twice or thrice a day.

Rhodiola rosea extract - use in carbon monoxide poisoning . To improve the activity of the body after suffering poisoning, you can prepare an alcohol extract of Rhodiola rosea. It can be purchased at any pharmacy without a prescription. After carbon monoxide poisoning, you need to take a tincture of five to ten drops twice or thrice a day, dissolving this amount of medicine in not in large numbers water. The last reception should be carried out no later than seven in the evening. In parallel, you need to take water sweetened with honey.

Decoction of dandelion roots. Dandelion also has excellent antitoxic properties. Brew six grams of dried crushed raw materials with two hundred milliliters of boiling water and boil for a quarter of an hour. Then insist the medicine for another half hour. Strain the finished infusion and dilute it with warm, pre-boiled water to the initial volume. Take it in a tablespoon three times a day.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is dangerous state which requires immediate first aid and adequate therapy under the supervision of doctors.

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What is carbon monoxide and where does it form?

Carbon monoxide is formed during incomplete combustion different substances. Carbon monoxide has been a daily companion of people for a long time. It is released into the atmosphere in large quantities by motor vehicles, gas stoves, heating fuel systems, during smoking, and even by the person himself when breathing.

Since this gas is odorless, detect it increased content indoors is nearly impossible. According to statistics, carbon monoxide intoxication ranks second among the causes of death from toxic substances, second only to alcohol and its surrogates.

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

What happens when a person breathes in air high concentration CO? To do this, you need to remember what function the lungs perform. A person breathes to saturate all the systems and organs of his body with oxygen, otherwise hypoxia and death will occur. Carbon monoxide combines with the main blood protein to form carboxyhemoglobin. This deprives the red blood cells of the ability to deliver oxygen to the blood cells, and, as a result, carbon monoxide poisoning occurs. The consequences vary depending on the severity of such intoxication. First, hypoxia manifests itself in the form of dizziness, weakness in the legs, darkening in the eyes. If the concentration of carbon monoxide rises, confusion and death occur.

There is a constant low level of carbon monoxide in the air in every major city. signs chronic poisoning this gas is manifested by unreasonable headaches, fatigue, weakness, irritability and sleep problems. Smoking residents of megacities and people who are forced to breathe are especially affected. tobacco smoke. The content of carbon monoxide in the lungs of these people exceeds the norm forty times.

How to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning?

To minimize the risk of intoxication with this substance, you need to know where its concentration can be dangerously high. Carbon monoxide is always deadly in unventilated areas. Therefore, you should not turn on the car engine in a closed garage or box. Also, it is impossible to lock the damper in a room with stove or other fuel heating. Cooking on a gas stove is an excuse to open a window. A huge danger of “burning out” exists during fires and explosions, so an attempt to save property with a small localization of a fire can be fatal. Often people die in their sleep precisely because they did not feel unwell in time with carbon monoxide poisoning. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to completely protect yourself from carbon monoxide in large cities. Getting carbon monoxide while smoking is voluntary, but it is better to protect yourself from passive smoking. Doctors advise against jogging and cycling near busy highways. This will cause you more harm than good. For sports, it is better to choose a quiet park or alley, which are located away from places where carbon monoxide accumulates.

Carbon monoxide: symptoms, first aid

Carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of people every year. According to statistics from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the number of victims in winter period much higher than at other times of the year.

The reason for this could be many various factors, but in order to protect yourself and your loved ones as much as possible, you first need to know signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as possible consequences. In this article, you can find useful information regarding the interaction of an organism with a given gas, its further influence and recommended precautions.

The danger of carbon monoxide

Places where there is heightened danger CO poisoning

The main danger of carbon monoxide is that it can quickly affect the human body even in small doses.

Carbon monoxide is also colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it very difficult to detect with the naked eye. Because of this, many people often write off the first signs of gas poisoning on other factors, without thinking about the danger. You can encounter it absolutely anywhere, both at home and at work. And given that carbon monoxide, also known as CO (carbon monoxide), is formed by cars, and even hookah apparatus with poor oxygen access, then we come into contact with it almost daily.

The effect of carbon monoxide on the body

The effect of CO on humans

As soon as CO enters the human body, it immediately begins to affect circulatory system. And if the dose exceeds the allowable rate, then carbon monoxide actively combines with hemoglobin cells, turning into carboxyhemoglobin, which prevents oxygen from reaching tissue cells. As a result, this effect leads to hypoxia and disruption of the biochemical balance.
Also suffer from this muscle tissues and the heart itself. Due to the lack of oxygen, human muscles begin to weaken, and the heart, unable to cope with the load, loses its working rhythm. In an attempt to deliver the oxygen necessary for the tissues, the heart increases the rate, exhausting the poisoned body. The result of this action is quite simple - increased heart rate and general weakness. And the more carbon monoxide affects a person, the faster his body is engaged in self-destruction.

The main causes of carbon monoxide poisoning

First and most multiple reason CO poisoning occurs in a fire. Experienced firefighters know that carbon monoxide is in some cases much more dangerous than destructive force fire. The second reason, according to death statistics, is a gas leak in enclosed spaces. The most common victim of this case are novice motorists who like to close the door in the garage and at the same time forget to turn off the car engine or leave it for the heater to work.
Also, owners of gas-using equipment equipped with poor ventilation often encounter carbon monoxide. This is mainly due to a violation of safety regulations or a violation of the conditions for the construction of ventilation ducts and chimneys. Larger gas equipment is used in production, where leakage can also occur, and as a result, the occurrence of poisoning in service personnel. And now you already know How does carbon monoxide poisoning happen?.

The main symptoms and signs of manifestation

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

The symptoms of CO ingestion can vary greatly depending on the amount of gas that has entered the body. Some of them may coincide with other diseases, and even pass for a common ailment. But the boundary between a moderate state and a mortal danger is very thin, since this gas is too active, and it is very easy to get poisoned by it.
To make a more convenient classification, experts divided the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning into three categories that can form: mild, moderate and severe.

Light degree of influence:

high blood pressure;
headache;
knocking in the temples;
vomiting and nausea;
dizziness and weakness;
chest pain and dry cough;
increased heart rate;
tearfulness and possible auditory hallucinations.

Average degree of influence:

partial or complete paralysis;
increased noise in the ears;
drowsiness;

Severe degree of influence:

muscle cramps;
loss of consciousness;
pupillary enlargement with minimal light reaction;
uncontrolled emptying of the bowels or bladder;
labored breathing;
bluing of the facial skin.

All of these factors are the result of a dangerous carbon monoxide leak. And if you feel any of these symptoms, and there is a gasified source nearby, we strongly recommend that you leave the premises.

Atypical forms of poisoning

Unlike conventional forms of carbon monoxide poisoning, atypical forms depend on several factors. Often this can be either too large and rapid gas release or a combination of a small concentration with internal state person.

Euphoric degree

It is characterized by a relatively small concentration of CO that flows near the person suffering nervous exhaustion. As a result, the victim may feel a state of euphoria, but in the future simply lose consciousness.

chronic degree

This category most often includes people who are exposed to carbon monoxide in a work environment. It can be like employees of boiler houses, factories, workshops, and so on. All this is accompanied by characteristic headaches, increased heart rate, rapid pulse, wear and tear of the heart and the body as a whole, not only the entire period of work, but also after it.

Powder degree

The rarest category, since in this case poisoning occurs with the help of explosive gases formed from combustible gunpowder. AT this case irritation of the mucous membranes, pain in the nasopharynx and respiratory system, lacrimation and coughing may occur.
As you can see for yourself, these symptoms of these forms are somewhat different from the main classification of poisoning, but they are no less deadly.

Further complications of poisoning

Complications of CO poisoning

Even if you were able to quickly identify poisoning and seek help, carbon monoxide is not so easy to completely eliminate from the body. Consequences of carbon monoxide poisoning can be very different - it all depends on physical condition organism, individual for each person, as well as the duration of exposure and, of course, the provision of PMP.
Basically, a person will be accompanied by prolonged weakness and frequent headaches. In some cases, there is a short-term cramp or slight noise in the ears. If the impact of carbon monoxide on the human body was very large, then the treatment may be accompanied by the occurrence of pneumonia and necrosis of internal tissues. The effects of small doses are not so critical and are usually accompanied by headaches or high blood pressure for several days.

First aid for poisoning

What to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning

Now it's time to answer the question: what to do about carbon monoxide poisoning? If the victim is in the affected area, then it must be immediately removed from there. As soon as you move to a safe distance, the victim is unfastened all clothing that can make breathing difficult. If the victim is unconscious, then he must perform artificial respiration, as well as call an ambulance.
It should be called for any symptoms of moderate to severe degree poisoning, because in such cases the poisoned person needs an oxygen mask, and he also needs carbon monoxide antidote- Amizol. Without the help of these funds, the moderate and severe form can cause death in a short time.

End result of poisoning

The outcome of carbon monoxide poisoning depends on several factors:

duration of exposure;
the concentration of gas around the victim;
leak detection rate;
after what period of time was emergency care provided for carbon monoxide poisoning.

It is also influenced by the individual parameters of a person and his state of health. The victim can get off with both mild symptoms and symptoms moderate, With further complication and long rehabilitation period. Otherwise, inaction can lead to death.

Prevention of CO poisoning

In any enterprise, the resulting poison gas must have access to the ventilation system, so all work must be carried out in well-ventilated rooms.

If your home has a fireplace or stove, then you need to check the dampers on a regular basis.

Also before any contact with carbon dioxide, medical personnel strongly recommend taking the antidote "Amizol" 30-40 minutes before exposure to CO. As you can see for yourself, the consequences of carbon dioxide poisoning can be very serious.
This can be caused by many different factors. Compliance with safety regulations and prompt medical attention will help keep you and your loved ones healthy.

Video

How to independently determine the stage of carbon monoxide poisoning? What kind of help should be given to the victim? These and other questions can be answered in these videos.

In our article we will analyze the question of what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning? On how correctly and quickly first aid is provided to the victim, not only his further health often depends, but also whether he will survive.

What is carbon monoxide?

"Silent killer" - so people call carbon monoxide. This is one of the most powerful poisons that can kill a living creature in just a few minutes. Chemical formula This gaseous compound is CO (one carbon atom and one oxygen atom). Another name for carbon monoxide is carbon monoxide. This air mixture is colorless and odorless.

CO is formed from any type of combustion: from burning fuel at heat and power plants, from burning a fire or gas stove, from engine operation internal combustion, from the smoldering fire of a cigarette, etc.

The toxic properties of carbon monoxide have been known to mankind since ancient times. Our distant ancestors were well aware of how dangerous it is to turn off the stove draft when the firewood is not completely burned out. Wanting to keep more heat, the unreasonable owner hurried to close the damper, the whole family went to bed, and the next morning they did not wake up.

With the development of civilization, the danger associated with carbon monoxide has not decreased. After all, now instead of stoves in dwellings modern people gas boilers and stoves are actively working, puffing on the streets and in garages toxic fumes cars, and there are periodic reports in the news about tragic accidents related to CO poisoning.

How does carbon monoxide affect the human body?

Carbon monoxide has the ability to bind hemoglobin molecules, thereby preventing the blood from carrying oxygen. How longer man breathes poisonous air containing carbon monoxide, the faster it develops pathological process. Carboxyhemoglobin is formed in the blood. The cells of the body do not receive life-giving oxygen, a headache appears, a person begins to experience suffocation, consciousness is confused. The victim does not realize what is happening to him, in this case, self-administration of first aid for carbon monoxide poisoning becomes impossible. Help must come from other people.

It takes a long time for hemoglobin to be completely cleared of carbon monoxide. The danger to life is directly related to the increase in the concentration of CO in the air and the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood. If the accumulation of carbon monoxide in the air is only 0.02-0.03%, then after 5-6 hours the content of carboxyhemoglobin in human blood will be 25-30%.

Rescue actions in case of carbon monoxide poisoning must be very fast, because if the concentration of CO reaches only 0.5%, carboxyhemoglobin will rise to lethal values in 20-30 minutes.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

The toxic effects of CO on the body can be manifested by the following symptoms:

When a person is poisoned by carbon monoxide in mild degree he may feel weak, tinnitus, headache, nausea, urge to vomit. These signals are evidence oxygen starvation experienced by the brain.
With moderate poisoning, the symptoms of intoxication increase. There is trembling in the muscles, short-term memory loss, impaired coordination of movements. A person may cease to distinguish colors, objects begin to split in two in the eyes. Later is broken respiratory function and functioning of the circulatory system. The victim develops tachycardia and cardiac arrhythmia. If a person does not receive at this stage quick help followed by loss of consciousness and subsequent death.
A severe degree of CO poisoning is accompanied by irreversible damage to brain cells. The victim may fall into a coma and stay in it for a week or more. At this time, the patient has strong seizures, uncontrolled urination and defecation. Breathing is usually shallow and intermittent, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. Perhaps the onset of respiratory paralysis and the onset of death. The prognosis of survival depends on the depth and duration of the coma.

When can CO poisoning occur?

With normal ventilation and a well-functioning extractor, carbon monoxide is quickly removed from the room without causing any harm to the people there. Nevertheless, according to statistics, more than one and a half million people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning in the world. In some cases, this happens for reasons beyond human control, for example, in case of a fire. Usually, people caught in a fire lose consciousness by inhaling the deadly gas and cannot get out of the fire trap themselves.

CO poisoning is also possible under the following cases and circumstances:

In rooms with stove or fireplace heating (residential buildings, baths, etc.) if the exhaust dampers are not closed in time or if the hood is poor.
In rooms where gas appliances work (water-flow heaters, stoves, gas boilers, heat generators with an open combustion chamber); if there is insufficient air flow necessary for the combustion of gas, as well as if the draft in the chimney is disturbed.
In production shops, where CO is used as a working substance for the synthesis of certain organic substances (phenol, methyl alcohol, acetone, etc.).
If you stay for a long time next to a busy highway or directly on it (on most major highways, CO levels in the air can exceed allowable norms several times).
In garages, when the car engine is running and there is no ventilation.

Carbon monoxide poisoning - first aid

It is important to act very quickly, remembering that the countdown is not just minutes, but even seconds. What should be done in case of carbon monoxide poisoning in the first place? The sequence of actions should be as follows:

Quickly open all windows and doors and take the person out of the room.
Call a specialized ambulance team. When making a call, you need to describe the problem as clearly as possible to the operator receiving the call so that medics with the necessary equipment are sent to the victim.
If a person has lost consciousness due to carbon monoxide poisoning, it is necessary to lay him on his side. Next, bring a cotton wool soaked in ammonia to his nose (at a distance of 2 cm from the nostrils) and gently wave it. Remember that if ammonia is brought too close, then the powerful effect of ammonia can lead to paralysis of the respiratory center.
If a person is not breathing, then artificial respiration should be started immediately. If the victim not only lost consciousness, but he also has no signs of cardiac activity, then artificial respiration should be supplemented indirect massage hearts. Such first aid for carbon monoxide poisoning should be done until the arrival of the medical team or until the person begins to actively show signs of life.
In the event that the poisoned person is conscious, he must be laid down and try to ensure the maximum flow fresh air. For this purpose, you can fan it with a newspaper, turn on the air conditioner and the fan. A warm heating pad or mustard plasters should be placed at the feet. It can be of great benefit to the victim alkaline drink(for 1 liter warm water- 1 tbsp. soda spoon).

What to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning, how to provide first aid, we found out. Now let's talk about another very important point: It is important for people involved in providing assistance to protect themselves. When taking a person out of a poisoned room, you need to cover your airways with gauze or a handkerchief.

What treatment is provided in the hospital?

Victims who received an average or severe degree poisoning are subject to mandatory hospitalization. The main antidote is 100% oxygen. Its uninterrupted intake into the body in the amount of 9-16 l / min. occurs through a special mask placed on the face of the patient.

AT severe cases The victim is tracheally intubated and connected to a ventilator. In a hospital setting, it is also carried out infusion therapy using a course of droppers with sodium bicarbonate - this helps to correct hemodynamic disorders. For intravenous infusion, Chlosol and Quartasol solutions are also used.

Another drug used by doctors to help a victim with carbon monoxide poisoning is Acizol. This drug is injected into the body intramuscularly. Its action is based on accelerating the breakdown of carboxyhemoglobin with simultaneous saturation of the blood with oxygen. "Acyzol" reduces toxic effect CO on muscle tissue and nerve cells.

Helping with carbon monoxide poisoning with the help of folk remedies

The following traditional medicine recipes can be used at home for mild carbon monoxide poisoning. Here are some easy-to-make home remedies that have highly effective anti-toxic properties:

Dandelion tincture (only the roots are used). To prepare the infusion, 10 g of finely ground dry raw materials should be poured with a glass of boiling water. Boil about 20 min. and then leave for 40 minutes. After strain and dilute warm water(100 ml). Take the remedy 3 or 4 times a day for a tablespoon.
Cranberry tincture. What to do after carbon monoxide poisoning with it? First, for cooking, you will need 200 g of lingonberries and 150 g of rose hips. The ingredients are ground as thoroughly as possible and 350 ml of boiling water is poured. Infuse the berries for 3 hours, then strain the remedy and consume inside 5 to 6 times a day, 2 tbsp. spoons.
Knotweed herb tincture. 3 art. tablespoons of crushed dry knotweed are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water. Insist for at least 3 hours, then strain and drink 3 times a day in a glass.
Tincture of Rhodiola rosea in alcohol. This drug does not need to be prepared independently, it is sold at any pharmacy. The method of administration is as follows: 7-12 drops are added to a glass of water. Drink half a cup twice a day.

Preventive measures to prevent CO poisoning

As already mentioned, carbon monoxide is often the culprit in the death of people. To protect yourself and your loved ones, you need not only to know what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning, but also try to follow preventive measures, which are as follows:

The condition of chimneys and ventilation shafts must be checked regularly. It is especially important to pay attention to this before the start of the heating season.
Before starting to use appliances that use combustible fuels, you should always check their serviceability. Early detection of damage will help to avoid many problems.
In the event that the room is poorly ventilated, it is necessary to take additional measures for regular ventilation.
Do not start the car in a closed, unventilated garage or sleep in a car with the engine running.
Purchase a special sensor that reacts to CO leakage and install it in a house or apartment.
Try to avoid being near busy highways, especially during their busiest hours.

carbon monoxide sensor

As already mentioned, the presence of carbon monoxide in the air cannot be detected using one's own senses. To protect yourself and your loved ones from trouble, you can purchase a carbon monoxide detector. This small device will perform vigilant control over the composition of the air in the room. After all, first aid in case of poisoning a person with carbon monoxide should be almost instantaneous, otherwise you may not have time.

In the event that the CO indicators exceed the prescribed norm, the sensor will notify the owners with sound and light signals. Such devices are household and industrial. The latter have more complex device and designed for large areas.

Risk group

To some extent, we are all at risk and, under certain circumstances, we can suffer from SA. Therefore, each of us should know well what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning. However, there are a number of professions whose members are subject to greatest danger. These include:

welders;
taxi drivers;
auto repair workers;
diesel engine operators;
firefighters;
employees of breweries, boiler houses;
personnel of steel, oil refining, pulp and paper industries, etc.

Conclusion

It is very important to know what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning. AT difficult situations people with the necessary knowledge and skills can bring the most help to victims. The main thing is not to panic, but to act as quickly as possible, clearly and consistently.