CO intoxication

pathophysiology

200 times greater affinity than of oxygen
tissue hypoxia --> death or permanent neurologic damage

symptoms and signs

1) correlates with CO levels
2) The earliest reliable symptom is headache.
3) blood may be cherry-red, but the patient rarely appears pink.
4) Using O2 saturation calculated from PO2 or measured by pulse oximetry will provide an incorrect estimate of O2-carrying capacity.

treatment -- 100% oxygen (via NRM or E-T tube)

HBO (hyperbaric oxygen) should be considered:
1) pregnant
2) cardiac ischemia
3) neurologic signs
4) CO.Hb > 25%

half-life of CO.Hb:
5~6 hrs in room air
1 hr in 100% oxygen
23 minutes in hyperbaric chamber