CO Acute poisoning – The appearance of symptoms in someone suffering from acute exposure is dependent on the following: The concentration of CO in air breathed The duration of exposure The degree of physical exertion Individual susceptibility Pre-inhalation COHb level 15 Susceptible individuals include the following16: Pregnant women because of potential harm to the foetus from low levels of oxygen – People with anaemia (low blood count or Hb concentration) - because of lowered oxygen carrying capacity of the blood People who have cardiovascular or heart conditions, especially angina People who have breathing disorders and lung disease Smokers because they may have high levels of CO in their blood before they are exposed to contaminated air Table 2: Summary of acute health effects of carbon monoxide17 COHb Concentration % Principal Signs and Symptoms < 2 No significant health effects Decreased exercise duration due to increased chest pain (angina) in patients with cardiovascular disease. 2.5 5 – No significant health effects expected in rest of population 5 10 Subtle neurobehavioral symptoms – Headache (“frontal tightness”), possible shortness of breath in healthy 10 20 – population. May be lethal for someone with severe disease. 20 30 Throbbing headache, nausea, flushing – 30 40 Severe headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid breathing – >40 Collapse, coma, convulsion, death This is given as a guide only and there may be considerable variation depending individual characteristics. Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS); Exposure standard documentation: Carbon monoxide (Safe Work 15 Australia 1996) S Bull; HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards: Carbon monoxide (UK Health Protection Agency 2011) 16 Adapted from S Bull; HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards: Carbon monoxide (UK Health Protection Agency 2011); and 17 the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Toxicological Profile for carbon monoxide (US Department of Health and Human Services, June 2012)
CO – Acute poisoning The appearance of symptoms in someone suffering from acute exposure is dependent on the following: The concentration of CO in air breathed The duration of exposure The degree of physical exertion Individual susceptibility Pre-inhalation COHb level 15 Susceptible individuals include the following16: Pregnant women – because of potential harm to the foetus from low levels of oxygen People with anaemia (low blood count or Hb concentration) - because of lowered oxygen carrying capacity of the blood People who have cardiovascular or heart conditions, especially angina People who have breathing disorders and lung disease Smokers because they may have high levels of CO in their blood before they are exposed to contaminated air Table 2: Summary of acute health effects of carbon monoxide17 COHb Concentration % Principal Signs and Symptoms < 2 No significant health effects 2.5 – 5 Decreased exercise duration due to increased chest pain (angina) in patients with cardiovascular disease. No significant health effects expected in rest of population 5 – 10 Subtle neurobehavioral symptoms 10 – 20 Headache (“frontal tightness”), possible shortness of breath in healthy population. May be lethal for someone with severe disease. 20 – 30 Throbbing headache, nausea, flushing 30 – 40 Severe headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid breathing >40 Collapse, coma, convulsion, death This is given as a guide only and there may be considerable variation depending individual characteristics. 15 Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS); Exposure standard documentation: Carbon monoxide (Safe Work Australia 1996) 16 S Bull; HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards: Carbon monoxide (UK Health Protection Agency 2011) 17 Adapted from S Bull; HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards: Carbon monoxide (UK Health Protection Agency 2011); and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Toxicological Profile for carbon monoxide (US Department of Health and Human Services, June 2012)
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