Carbon Monoxide Health Video

Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that attaches to blood vessels more easily than oxygen, thus keeping oxygen out of your bloodstream. Learn more about carbon monoxide including treatments and symptoms in this medical video.

Take Action

Consult a doctor if you are exposed to Carbon Monoxide
Consult a doctor if you have severe nausea & fatigue
Take care when working or living around carbon monoxide

About this Author

Dr. Ulrich joined On Call Medical Group in 2006. She had previously practiced at Doctors Medical Center in Richmond, Calif., and prior to that worked with the uninsured and homeless population of San Francisco at the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. Throughout her medical career, Dr. Ulrich as also been involved in numerous medical research studies. Dr. Ulrich holds a B.S. from Harvard University, an M.P.H. for the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.D. from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

SKYLAR ULRICH, MD: Hi. I'm Dr. Ulrich. I'm going to talk about carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless gas that is formed by hydrocarbon combustion during combustion processes such as turning on the car engine or a house fire. Carbon monoxide is extremely toxic because it has a much higher affinity for the hemoglobin molecules in your blood which is the oxygen-carrying particles in your blood. Therefore, when you're exposed to carbon monoxide, it binds up all of your oxygen-carrying particles and pushes oxygen off, so it cannot be delivered to the cells in your body for cellular metabolism. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, you may have nausea and vomiting, you may feel extreme fatigue, and eventually, there would be the onset of unconsciousness. Diagnosis is by a suggestive history, exposure to a combustion process as well as by measuring the carboxyhemoglobin level in the bloodstream. Treatment is primarily 100% oxygen. It depends on the severity of the exposure to carbon monoxide, face mask may be effective with 90% O2. In extreme cases, the patient would have to be intubated with 100% oxygen, and even in the most extreme cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be indicated.