WordNet
n. a toxic condition that results from inhaling and absorbing carbon monoxide gas; "carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin and displaces oxygen in the blood"
Wikipedia
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after too much inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect. Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of organic matter due to insufficient oxygen supply to enable complete oxidation to carbon dioxide (CO). It is often produced in domestic or industrial settings by motor vehicles that run on gasoline, diesel, methane, or other carbon-based fuels and from tools, gas heaters, and cooking equipment that are powered by carbon-based fuels such as propane, butane and charcoal. Exposure at 100 ppm or greater can be dangerous to human health.
Symptoms of mild acute poisoning include lightheadedness, confusion, headache, vertigo, and flu-like effects; larger exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system and heart, and death. After acute poisoning, long-term sequelae often occur. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Chronic exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can lead to depression, confusion, and memory loss. Carbon monoxide mainly causes adverse effects in humans by combining with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) in the blood. This prevents hemoglobin from carrying oxygen to the tissues, effectively reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, leading to hypoxia. Additionally, myoglobin and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase are thought to be adversely affected. Carboxyhemoglobin can revert to hemoglobin, but the recovery takes time because the HbCO complex is fairly stable.
Treatment of poisoning largely consists of administering 100% oxygen or providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, although the optimum treatment remains controversial. Oxygen works as an antidote as it increases the removal of carbon monoxide from hemoglobin, in turn providing the body with normal levels of oxygen. The prevention of poisoning is a significant public health issue. Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by early detection with the use of household carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries. Historically, it was also commonly used as a method to commit suicide, usually by deliberately inhaling the exhaust fumes of a running car engine. Modern automobiles, even with electronically controlled combustion and catalytic converters, can still produce levels of carbon monoxide which will kill if enclosed within a garage or if the tailpipe is obstructed (for example, by snow) and exhaust gas cannot escape normally. Carbon monoxide poisoning has also been speculated as a possible cause of apparent haunted houses; symptoms such as delirium and hallucinations may have led people suffering poisoning to think they have seen ghosts or to believe their house is haunted.
Usage examples of "carbon monoxide poisoning".
All the information she had about the OR cases fit the idea of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Presuming he agrees with us that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, he's gonna have some tough questions about the logistics.
I hoped they had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning before flames had touched them.
He says to save everyone from carbon monoxide poisoning, they should all get in one cab and use just one heater.
He had read somewhere that carbon monoxide poisoning was like that.
Then they sat down calmly on the floor to wait for help and died peacefully in the sleep of carbon monoxide poisoning.
His head, lolling limply on the stalk of his neck, snapped over to one side as Christine reversed to make another try at Leigh, and I saw his face had the high, rosy colour of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Her cheeks appeared to have been wildly rouged, and I remembered that carbon monoxide poisoning was supposed to give the illusion of life and high colour.