The New Straits Times, September 11,1995
Q: My friend told me that carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and deadly gas. Could you tell me that effects which can be expected when a person is exposed to carbon monoxide?
A: Your friend's description of carbon monoxide is very true. Being colourless and odourless, we cannot detect its presence using our five sense.
Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning often display a wide range of symptoms depending on its severity. Below are some of the problems associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Minimal exposure - mild headache and nausea.
Mild exposure - moderate to severe headache, nausea and dizziness.
Moderate exposure - shortness of breath, weakness, flushing, chest, pain, confusion, loss of consciousness.
Severe exposure - loss of consciousness, syncope, seizures, drop in blood pressure, disturbance of cardiac rhythm, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, cyanosis.
All of these effects are actually the result of tissue hypoxia (a state of oxygen deficiency) since carbon monoxide binds much more readily to the red blood cells, thereby interfering with the oxygen delivery system.
Thus, a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning should be removed from the source and brought to fresh air. He should be transported to hospital so that medical evaluation and oxygen therapy may be given to reverse tissue hypoxia and accelerate elimination of carbon monoxide.
In many developed countries, preventive measures such as installing a carbon monoxide detector in homes are often done. They are deemed necessary since gas fire, water heaters, cookers, portable heaters and any fuel-burning appliances can all give off carbon monoxide.
