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 he alth often depends, but also whether he will survive.
What is carbon monoxide?
"The Silent Killer" is what people call carbon monoxide. This is one of the most powerful poisons that can kill a living creature in just a few minutes. The chemical formula of 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 a gas stove, from the operation of an internal combustion engine, 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 keepmore heat, the unreasonable owner was in a hurry to close the damper, the whole family went to bed, and the next morning they didn’t wake up.
With the development of civilization, the danger associated with carbon monoxide has not decreased. After all, now instead of stoves in the homes of modern people, gas boilers and stoves are actively working, cars are puffing with poisonous fumes on the streets and in garages, and reports of tragic accidents associated with CO poisoning periodically appear in the news.
How does carbon monoxide affect the human body?
Carbon monoxide has the ability to bind hemoglobin molecules, thereby preventing the blood from carrying oxygen. The longer a person breathes poisonous air, which contains carbon monoxide, the faster the pathological process develops. 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 quite 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 equal to25-30%.
Rescue actions in case of carbon monoxide poisoning must be very fast, because if the concentration of CO2 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 with carbon monoxide in a mild degree, he may feel weakness, tinnitus, headache, nausea, and the urge to vomit. These signals are evidence of oxygen starvation experienced by the brain.
- In case of 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, the respiratory function and the work of the circulatory system are disturbed. The victim develops tachycardia and cardiac arrhythmia. If a person does not receive prompt help at this stage, then loss of consciousness and subsequent death occurs.
- 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 severe convulsive seizures, uncontrolled urination and defecation. Breathing is usually shallow and intermittent, body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. Mayberespiratory paralysis and death. The prognosis of survival depends on the depth and duration of the coma.
When can CO poisoning occur?
With proper 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 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, bathhouses, etc.) if the exhaust dampers are not closed in time or if the hood is poor.
- In rooms where gas appliances work (water heaters, stoves, gas boilers, heat generators with an open combustion chamber); if there is insufficient air flow necessary for burning gas, as well as if there is a broken draft in the chimney.
- In production shops where CO is used as a working substance for the synthesis of certain organic substances (phenol, methyl alcohol, acetone, etc.).
- When you stay near a busy highway or directly on it for a long time (on most major highways, CO levels in the air can exceed the permissible limits by sever altimes).
- In garages, with the car engine running and 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 you bring ammonia 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 with an indirect heart massage. 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 inconsciousness, it must be laid down and try to ensure the maximum flow of 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. An alkaline drink can bring considerable benefit to the victim (1 liter of warm water - 1 tablespoon of soda).
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 kind of treatment is provided in the hospital?
Victims who have received moderate or severe 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 applied to the patient's face.
In severe cases, the victim is tracheally intubated and connected to a ventilator. In a hospital, infusion therapy is also carried out 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 victims of 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 the toxic effect of CO on muscle tissue and nerve cells.
Treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning with 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 with highly effective anti-toxic properties:
- Dandelion tincture (only 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 with warm water (100 ml). Take the remedy 3 or 4 times a day for a tablespoon.
- Cranberry-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.
- Rhodiola rosea tincture on alcohol. This drug does not need to be prepared independently, it is sold at any pharmacy. Method of administrationis as follows: 7-12 drops are added to a glass of water. Drink half a glass 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:
- Chimneys and ventilation shafts should be checked regularly. It is especially important to pay attention to this before the start of the heating season.
- Before using combustible fuel appliances, you should always check their serviceability. Timely detected breakdown will help to avoid many problems.
- In the event that the room is poorly ventilated, additional measures must be taken to ventilate it regularly.
- Do not start a 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 busy hours.
Carbon monoxide detector
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 performvigilant 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 a more complex device and are designed for large areas.
Risk group
To some extent, we are all at risk and, under certain circumstances, we can suffer from CO. Therefore, each of us should know well what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning. However, there are a number of professions whose representatives are most at risk. These include:
- welders;
- taxi drivers;
- auto repair shop workers;
- diesel engine operators;
- firefighters;
- workers in breweries, boiler houses;
- staff in steel, oil refineries, pulp and paper industries, etc.
Conclusion
It is very important to know what to do in case of carbon monoxide poisoning. In 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, clearly and consistently as possible.
