How long does it take to get carbon monoxide poisoning? Carbon monoxide poisoning (Carbon monoxide poisoning, Carbon monoxide poisoning)

Carbon monoxide poisoning- an acute pathological condition that develops as a result of carbon monoxide entering the human body is dangerous to life and health, and without qualified medical care can lead to death.

Carbon monoxide enters atmospheric air for any type of combustion. In cities, mainly as part of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. Carbon monoxide actively binds to hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin, and blocks the transfer of oxygen to tissue cells, which leads to hemic hypoxia. Carbon monoxide is also included in oxidative reactions, disturbing the biochemical balance in tissues.

Poisoning is possible:

in case of fires;

in production where carbon monoxide is used to synthesize a number of organic matter(acetone, methyl alcohol, phenol, etc.);

in garages with poor ventilation, in other unventilated or poorly ventilated rooms, tunnels, since the car exhaust contains up to 1-3% CO according to standards and over 10% if the carburetor engine is poorly adjusted;

when spending a long time on or near a busy road. On major highways, the average CO concentration exceeds the toxicity threshold;

at home in the event of a lighting gas leak and in case of untimely closed stove dampers in rooms with stove heating(houses, baths);

when using low-quality air in breathing apparatus.

General information

Carbon monoxide poisoning ranks fourth in the list of the most frequently observed poisonings (after alcohol poisoning, drug and drug poisoning). Carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide (CO), occurs wherever conditions exist for incomplete combustion of carbon-containing substances. CO is a colorless, tasteless gas; its odor is very weak, almost imperceptible. Burns with a bluish flame. A mixture of 2 volumes of CO and 1 volume of O2 explodes when ignited. CO does not react with water, acids and alkalis. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, so carbon monoxide poisoning most often occurs unnoticed. The mechanism of the effect of carbon monoxide on humans is that, when it enters the blood, it binds hemoglobin cells. Then hemoglobin loses its ability to carry oxygen. And the longer a person breathes carbon monoxide, the less workable hemoglobin remains in his blood, and the less oxygen the body receives. A person begins to choke, a headache appears, and consciousness becomes confused. And if you don’t go out into the fresh air in time (or don’t take someone who has already lost consciousness out into the fresh air), then a fatal outcome is possible. In the case of carbon monoxide poisoning, it takes quite a long time for the hemoglobin cells to be able to completely clear the carbon monoxide. The higher the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, the faster the life-threatening concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood is created. For example, if the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air is 0.02-0.03%, then in 5-6 hours of inhaling such air a carboxyhemoglobin concentration of 25-30% will be created, if the concentration of CO in the air is 0.3-0.5% , then the lethal content of carboxyhemoglobin at the level of 65-75% will be achieved after 20-30 minutes of a person’s stay in such an environment. Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur suddenly or slowly, depending on the concentration. At very high concentrations, poisoning occurs quickly, characterized by rapid loss of consciousness, convulsions and respiratory arrest. In blood taken from the region of the left ventricle of the heart or from the aorta, a high concentration of carboxyhemoglobin is detected - up to 80%. With a low concentration of carbon monoxide, symptoms develop gradually: muscle weakness appears; dizziness; noise in ears; nausea; vomit; drowsiness; sometimes, on the contrary, short-term increased mobility; then movement coordination disorder; rave; hallucinations; loss of consciousness; convulsions; coma and death from paralysis of the respiratory center. The heart may continue to contract for some time after breathing has stopped. There have been cases of death from the consequences of poisoning even 2-3 weeks after the poisoning event.

Acute effects of carbon monoxide poisoning relative to ambient concentration in parts per million (concentration, ppm): 35 ppm (0.0035%) - headache and dizziness during six to eight hours of continuous exposure 100 ppm (0.01%) - minor headache after two to three hours of exposure 200 ppm (0.02%) - minor headache after two to three hours of exposure, loss of criticism 400 ppm (0.04%) - frontal headache after one to two hours of exposure 800 ppm (0.08%) - dizziness, nausea and convulsions after 45 minutes of exposure; loss of senses after 2 hours 1600 ppm (0.16%) - headache, tachycardia, dizziness, nausea after 20 minutes of exposure; death in less than 2 hours 3200 ppm (0.32%) - headache, dizziness, nausea after 5-10 minutes of exposure; death after 30 minutes 6400 ppm (0.64%) - headache, dizziness after 1-2 minutes of exposure; convulsions, respiratory arrest and death after 20 minutes 12800 ppm (1.28%) - unconscious after 2-3 breaths, death in less than three minutes

Concentration 0.1 ppm - natural atmospheric level (MOPITT) 0.5 - 5 ppm - average level in houses 5 - 15 ppm - next to a properly adjusted gas stove in a house 100 - 200 ppm - from exhaust gases from cars in the central square of Mexico City 5000 ppm - in smoke from a wood stove 7000 ppm - in warm exhaust gases from cars without a catalyst

The diagnosis of poisoning is confirmed by measuring the level of carbon monoxide in the blood. This can be determined by measuring the amount of carboxyhemoglobin compared to the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. The carboxyhemoglobin ratio in the hemoglobin molecule can average up to 5%; in smokers who smoke two packs a day, levels up to 9% are possible. Intoxication appears when the ratio of carboxyhemoglobin to hemoglobin is above 25%, and the risk of mortality is at a level of more than 70%.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, very light gas (lighter than air) and odorless. But the “smell of carbon monoxide” is felt due to impurities of organic elements in the fuel. Carbon monoxide appears in your home every time you burn wood. The main cause of carbon monoxide is an insufficient amount of oxygen in the combustion area.

The occurrence of waste

Carbon monoxide in the home occurs when carbon is burned due to a lack of oxygen. Combustion of fuel in furnaces occurs in several stages:

1. First, the carbon burns, releasing carbon dioxide CO2;
2. The carbon dioxide then comes into contact with the hot remains of coke or coal, creating carbon monoxide;
3. Then, carbon monoxide burns ( blue flame) with the appearance of carbon dioxide, which comes out through the chimney.

Without draft in the stove (the chimney is clogged, there is no supply air for combustion, the damper is closed prematurely), the coals continue to smolder without a weak supply of oxygen, so carbon monoxide does not burn and can disperse throughout the heated room, causing a toxic effect on the body and poisoning (carbon monoxide).

Factors of carbon dioxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, making it very dangerous. The causes of smoke inhalation poisoning can be:

• Malfunctioning fireplace stove and chimney (clogged chimney, cracks in the stove).
• Violation (closing of the stove damper untimely, poor draft, insufficient access to the firebox of fresh air).
• The presence of a person at the very source of the fire.
• Car maintenance in a low-ventilated area.
• The use of low-quality air in breathing apparatus and scuba gear.
• Sleeping in a car with the engine running.
• Using a grill with low ventilation.

Signals and signs of poisoning

At a low concentration of gas, the first signs of toxic effects and poisoning may form: lacrimation, dizziness and pain, nausea and weakness, confusion, dry cough, and there may be auditory and visual hallucinations. If you feel the symptoms of poisoning, you need to get out into fresh air as soon as possible.

If you spend a long period of time in a room with a low density of carbon monoxide, symptoms of poisoning occur: tachycardia, difficulty breathing, loss of coordination, drowsiness, visual hallucinations, blue discoloration of the facial skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and there may be convulsions.

With increased concentrations, loss of consciousness and coma with convulsions occur. Without first aid, the victim may die from smoke inhalation.

The effects of carbon monoxide in the home on the human body

Carbon monoxide enters through the lungs, contacts hemoglobin in the blood and prevents the transfer of oxygen to organs and tissues. Oxygen starvation disrupts the nervous system and brain function. The higher the carbon monoxide concentration and the longer the period spent in the room, the stronger the poisoning and the greater the likelihood of death.

After poisoning, medical supervision is required for several days, as complications are often observed. Victims with severe poisoning must be hospitalized. Problems with the nervous system and lungs are possible even weeks after the incident. Interestingly, carbon monoxide affects women less than men.

Carbon monoxide detector for home

Poisoning or carbon inhalation can be prevented by using a self-contained carbon monoxide alarm or sensor. If the volume of carbon monoxide in a residential or technical room exceeds the permissible level, the sensor will signal, warning of the threat. Carbon monoxide detectors are electrochemical sensors designed to continuously monitor the level of CO content in a room and respond with light and sound signals to high level concentrations of carbon monoxide in the air.

When you decide to buy a carbon monoxide alarm for your home, pay attention to the features (if they are similar in appearance) of the devices: sensor open fire and a smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector and carbon dioxide detector respond to different elements in the room air. Carbon monoxide detectors for the home are installed at a height of one and a half meters from the floor (some recommend installing 15–20 cm from the ceiling). The carbon dioxide detector should be placed near the instrument panel or at floor level (carbon dioxide is much heavier than air), and the smoke detector should be on the ceiling.

In many countries, the use of the above sensors is a mandatory condition required by law to ensure the safety and health of the population. In Europe, only a smoke detector is required. For us, installing a carbon monoxide detector is currently voluntary. Such sensors are generally an inexpensive device, so it is better not to risk your life and buy a carbon monoxide alarm for your home.

How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in the house

By following safety rules, smoke inhalation poisoning can be prevented:

— Do not use fuel-burning appliances without sufficient skills, knowledge and tools.

— Don’t burn charcoal in a room with poor ventilation.

— Make sure that the oven, exhaust and supply ventilation and chimney.

— On smoke ducts wood stoves, it is necessary to provide for the installation of 2 tight valves in series, and on the channels of stoves operating on coal or peat, only one valve with a 15 mm hole.

— Do not leave a car in the garage with the engine running.

Sensors that signal an increase in carbon monoxide concentration can additionally protect against poisoning, but they should not replace other preventive work.

Carbon monoxide from stove heating

A fireplace or stove with a closed valve and the remains of unburned fuel is a source of carbon monoxide and an invisible poisoner. Assuming that the fuel has completely burned, stove owners close the chimney damper to preserve heat. Smoldering embers with a lack of air create carbon monoxide, which penetrates into the room through leaky areas of the furnace system.

Also in the chimney, with weak draft and without air supply, chemical underburning of the fuel occurs, and as a result, the appearance and accumulation of carbon monoxide at home.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a chemical that causes acute poisoning. It is dangerous to health and life. Negative influence carbon monoxide on the human body is based on the transformation of the blood composition and damage to the respiratory system.

The consequences of poisoning are very severe and often result in death.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless gaseous substance, without a specific odor, lighter in density than air. Highly flammable.

The substance is very toxic. Because it has no smell. Fatal cases of poisoning are recorded frequently. CO is formed during the combustion of any material and is concentrated in the air. Once in the body, the substance interacts with hemoglobin and forms a strong complex - carboxyhemoglobin. This compound disrupts the physiological functions of the blood and blocks the transport of oxygen to the tissues. As a result of oxygen starvation, biochemical processes are disrupted.

When a person inhales polluted air, carbon monoxide enters chemical reaction with hemoglobin faster than oxygen. With each breath, the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin increases.

Signs of poisoning appear when hemoglobin is replaced:

• 20% – mild degree of general intoxication;
• 30% – moderate poisoning;
• 40-50% – loss of consciousness;
• 60-70% is a lethal dose.

The higher the CO content in the air, the faster it accumulates in the body. The lethal dose is 0.1% in inhaled air (death occurs within an hour). Carbon monoxide is a toxic substance that belongs to the 2nd and 3rd hazard classes (medium and high). In enclosed spaces, signs of intoxication appear faster than in open areas. In a state of physical activity, the time of human poisoning is reduced; in a state of rest, the degree of poisoning increases slowly. This is due to the fact that stress on the body increases the breathing rate and lung volume.

Conditions under which a person can get carbon monoxide poisoning

Most often, CO poisoning occurs in enclosed spaces during domestic fires. Residents of private houses with gas or stove heating are at risk. An improperly designed air exchange system (ventilation, draft in chimneys) contributes to the accumulation of substances in the room.

For industrial purposes, carbon monoxide is used for synthesis organic compounds. In case of non-compliance and gross violation of safety regulations, the risk of poisoning among employees increases.

Carbon monoxide is a component of automobile exhaust. Therefore, you can become poisoned by the substance in a garage with insufficient ventilation, poor ventilation, in long tunnels, or during a long stay near highways and congested roads.

You can get poisoned at home if the stove dampers are not closed, or if there is a leak of lighting gas, which is used in heating systems private buildings. Cases of intoxication due to hookah abuse have been recorded.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

The effect of carbon monoxide on the human body depends on the level of its concentration in the air. A mild degree of damage to the body quickly becomes moderate and is manifested by suffocation and headache. The nervous system is the first to react to a lack of oxygen. Signs of her defeat:

• pain in the cranial cavity of a pulsating nature, pounding in the temples, dizziness, nausea not associated with food intake, single vomiting;
• visual disturbances, lacrimation;
• mental instability, irritability, emotional outbursts, impaired coordination of movements, especially fine motor skills, memory instability, auditory and visual hallucinations;
• decreased mental and physical activity, shortness of breath, chest pain with any movement;
• heart rate increases, arterial pressure increases slightly;
• the skin and mucous membranes acquire a bright scarlet color.

Carbon monoxide poisoning during pregnancy, even at low concentrations, leads to the death of the embryo during pregnancy. early stages and fetus in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Mild intoxication is deadly for people with severe heart and vascular diseases.

In case of severe poisoning, the victim develops drowsiness, apathy, constant tinnitus, and headaches become more intense. Due to damage to the nasal mucosa, a profuse runny nose appears. Nausea intensifies, vomiting becomes more frequent. The motor muscles are affected by paralysis due to ataxia - destabilization of the coordination of motor activity. Breathing becomes frequent and shallow. The person is conscious, but it is confused.

The impact of carbon monoxide on the human body at high concentrations is characterized by the following symptoms, which indicates extremely severe poisoning:

• fainting, unconsciousness;
• breathing is periodic, cyclical, rare shallow breaths gradually become more frequent and become deep;
• heart rhythms are depressed, pulse is weak;
• convulsions, seizures;
• pupils react poorly to light;
• sudden bluish discoloration of the skin;
• involuntary urination and uncontrolled bowel movements;
• lack of reflexes, state of deep coma;
• cessation of breathing and heartbeat, death.

First aid to the victim

Before the ambulance arrives, it is important to properly provide the person with first aid. When entering the room, open the door wide and support it with any heavy object so that it does not close. Then you should stop the supply of carbon monoxide - close the damper on the stove, turn off the heating system. After this, open all the windows in the room. The air flow will instantly reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide.

Take the victim outside as quickly as possible, free him from restrictive clothing, and cover him with a warm blanket or rug. If the weather is clear outside, it is better to place the person in the sun rather than in the shade. Direct Sun rays destroy carboxyhemoglobin.

If the victim is not breathing, begin resuscitation measures - cardiac massage and artificial respiration.

Medical assistance for CO poisoning

Upon arrival of the ambulance, the patient is immediately connected to an oxygen bag. The O2 supply must be continuous and powerful for 3 hours. An emergency doctor is required to administer acyzol to a person, an antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Pharmacological action of the drug:

• prevents the formation of the carboxyhemoglobin complex;
• promotes the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin;
• stabilizes oxygen delivery to tissues;
• reduces body intoxication;
• biotransforms carboxyhemoglobin and removes it from the bloodstream;
• increases stability internal organs to oxygen starvation, reducing the tissue need for O2;
• replenishes zinc deficiency.

Acizol as an antidote for carbon monoxide is administered intramuscularly in a dose of 1 ml. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 4 ml. The course of treatment with the drug is from 7 to 10 days. Side effects no antidote has been identified. Sometimes a painful infiltrate may occur in the area where the drug was administered. In case of an overdose, the patient experiences a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, and headaches.

To stimulate breathing, nervous and vascular system caffeine is prescribed subcutaneously. Action of the drug:

• enhances heart function;
• dilates blood vessels;
• increases heart rate;
• promotes urine separation;
• eliminates headaches.

Carboxylase (an enzyme) helps partially remove carbon monoxide from the body. It promotes the rupture of the carboxyhemoglobin complex and the cleavage of CO molecules from hemoglobin. The drug is administered intravenously.

Complications

Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic substance. Therefore, human poisoning in rare cases goes away without leaving a trace. Intoxication of the body leads to consequences varying degrees gravity.

Possible complications:

• damage to the sense organs - hearing, vision;
• trophic skin lesions - swelling, blisters, necrosis;
• circulatory disorders in the brain;
• hemorrhages in the space between the meninges and the web;
• numerous toxic nerve lesions;
• signs of cerebral edema;
• myocardial infarction;
• myoglobinuric nephrosis - acute kidney failure, which develops with toxic damage to the organ;
• severe pneumonia - inflammation of the lungs that occurs in a patient during a long stay in a coma.

People who have suffered CO poisoning often develop late complications, months or even years later. The psyche and nervous system suffer the most.

Patients complain of memory loss, decreased concentration and level of intelligence. The person does not perceive well new information, loses the ability to learn. Psychosis gradually develops - a person’s reaction and mental activity contradicts reality. The perception of the surrounding world is disrupted, behavior is disorganized.

Long-term consequences of defeat nervous system:

• development of blindness;
• paralysis;
• dysfunction of the pelvic organs;
• parkinsonism.

Over time, such pathologies appear on the part of the heart;

• cardiac asthma;
• inflammation of the membranes of the heart;
• angina pectoris;
• myocardial infarction.

From the respiratory system - frequent outbreaks of pneumonia.

To reduce the likelihood of severe complications, it is important to provide emergency medical care and administer an antidote in a timely manner.

The health effects of carbon monoxide always contribute to serious operational failure internal systems and organs. In most cases it leads to the death of a person. Therefore, caution in the operation of heating devices should be paramount. The rules of occupational safety and health must not be neglected. In rooms where there is a risk of increasing the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, you need to install a special sensor to monitor the situation. This device runs on batteries or mains and does not require special maintenance. When a toxic substance increases in the air, it sounds an audible signal.

Gas poisoning is a very negative condition for humans. In the absence of qualified assistance, there is a high risk of death. Unfortunately, no one is immune from this phenomenon. In view of this, it is important to know what will help determine poisoning, as well as which ones will save a person’s life.

First, let's look at what a gaseous substance is. Gas is a state of aggregation of a component in which high mobility of substances is observed. In terms of composition, the mixture in question can be low-active or, on the contrary, highly active, and therefore explosive.

As a rule, methane gas is used in everyday life due to its ability to burn. This naturally occurring hydrocarbon does not pose a danger to humans. However, when it burns, it releases monoxide, which is highly toxic. Accordingly, it can cause severe intoxication of the body.

Carbon monoxide, like methane, is colorless and odorless. Therefore, special substances are added to this gas if methane is planned to be used in everyday life. This allows you to warn a person about a leak when it occurs.

If methane ends up in the respiratory section along with oxygen, it is completely safe. But under limited circulation conditions it transforms into an explosive mixture. As a result, with prolonged inhalation of the gas, its high concentration is reached, which provokes poisoning.

Characteristics of methane

Methane is transparent and odorless. Therefore, if this gas is planned to be used for domestic needs, an additive is added in low concentration. Moreover, if a person has a weak sense of smell, even with the additive the gas is not felt.

Despite the fact that methane has relatively low toxicity, it is very dangerous:

• the gaseous substance easily overcomes the blood-brain barrier and affects the brain;
• this substance can inhibit the functioning of the respiratory system;
• affects the central nervous system;
• contributes to oxygen deficiency.

The gas, which is safe in the open air, becomes a real bomb in closed rooms, since there it can easily accumulate and cause poisoning, which, if prompt assistance is not provided, leads to death.

Methane is dangerous because it can penetrate the so-called barrier that separates the central nervous and circulatory systems, which allows it to affect the brain. The action of this gas can be compared to a weak opiate, which has the following effect:

• if a person constantly inhales a gaseous substance in a closed room, the respiratory system is depressed;
• impulses of the vagus trigeminal nerves are blocked;
• the normal functioning of the autonomic nervous system fails;
• after entering the body, toxic components combine with hemoglobin, resulting in the formation of high-strength carboxyhemoglobin, which blocks the transport of oxygen and thereby disrupts cellular respiration;
• biochemical processes are disrupted, which causes inhibition of psychomotor reactions;
• the cardiovascular system is affected;
• the central nervous system and respiratory tract are blocked;
• a negative reaction is formed, manifested on the skin and mucous membranes.

The danger of the gaseous compound is that if this component enters the human body and prompt assistance in case of poisoning is not provided, there is a high probability of death of the person.

How can you get poisoned?

Many people are interested in how one can become poisoned by methane. Violation of the full functioning of the body can occur due to the ingestion of toxic compounds when inhaling air containing methane. Symptoms of acute poisoning do not develop immediately and are practically invisible. Especially if during the poisoning process the person was sleeping or was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In such conditions, a person has no reaction to stimuli.

As for the risk group, it includes the following situations:

• methane and carbon dioxide poisoning due to breakdown of gas-powered appliances. These include a valve, stove or cylinder;
• fire. This phenomenon occurs due to safety violations during the use of devices. Such situations include partially closing the valve that regulates the gas supply, prolonged stay in a room in which there is no normal ventilation;
• deliberate organization of leakage of a gaseous substance;
• staying for a long time in places with large concentrations of operating vehicles;
• regular inhalation of gaseous substances. This phenomenon is often observed in mines;
• partial closing of dampers in furnaces;
• smoking from a hookah in the absence of normal functioning oxygen.

Also get poisoned carbon dioxide It is also possible in production, where the substance in question is used to perform the synthesis of organic elements.

Forms and signs of poisoning

It is necessary to clearly know the symptoms of poisoning. At the moment, there are 4 types of intoxication, taking into account the severity of the patient’s condition. Moreover, the symptoms of the consequences are distinctive for each stage. Let's take a closer look at this point.

First degree: mild

In the mild stage, the following symptoms are observed:

• pain occurs in the head;
• pain in the heart muscle;
• dizziness and drowsiness.

Sometimes a person is overcome by nausea.

Second stage: middle stage

At this stage, phenomena such as:

• oppression normal operation CNS;
• coordination of movements is impaired;
• increased heart rate.

In addition, collapse may occur.

Third stage: severe form of poisoning

When severe, the following signs will appear:

• dangerous damage to the heart and brain;
• swelling of the lung tissue;
• loss of consciousness.

In this condition, the struggle for the victim’s life lasts for minutes.

Stage four: instant poisoning

Instant intoxication is considered the most dangerous condition. Unfortunately, this form is overwhelmingly fatal. Symptoms of instant poisoning are as follows:

• a few breaths provoke memory loss;
• asphyxia occurs;
• after 5 minutes the work of the heart muscle completely stops.

Unfortunately, the prognosis for this type of intoxication is negative. Often, professional help arrives late and resuscitation procedures do not have a positive effect.

Symptoms to look out for first

Knowing what the first warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are, it is easier for people to navigate the issue of providing assistance. As a rule, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the appearance of headaches. The discomfort is dull and aching in nature, with no point localization. Unfortunately, such a sign is not always regarded as a symptom of poisoning. More often, people tend to attribute the pain to other reasons, for example, overwork or a common cold.

In addition to headaches, there are a number of specific signs that help identify poisoning. These include:

• pain in the chest, which is often confused with ischemia and osteochondrosis;
• the appearance of dizziness, loss of ability to control one’s actions and loss of orientation.
• Such a response of the body is expressed in the inability to walk and hold small objects in one’s hands;
• if the poisoning intensifies, confusion occurs, expressed in the inability to answer simple questions;

If one of the signs is detected, you need to seek help. It is important to remember that with such a phenomenon, every minute counts. Because when the body is exposed to gaseous toxic components, dangerous irreversible phenomena develop.

The death of the victim can occur not only with the immediate stage of intoxication, but also with less mild degrees. Therefore, in order to prevent such a sad development, it is necessary to provide urgent assistance.

In case of methane poisoning, the first thing to do is to take the poisoned person out into the air, while simultaneously dialing the emergency room number. You should also immediately turn off the gas supply and open all shutters and doors for ventilation.

Then perform the actions in the following sequence:

• the patient is laid on the ground and the upper part of the body is freed from clothing;
• do ;
• Ice, previously wrapped in cloth, is placed on the forehead area;
• under knee-joint the victim is placed on a cushion so that the limbs are located above the body;
• the swab is moistened with ammonia and given to the person to sniff;
• the chest area, legs and arms are rubbed with massage movements;
• when vomiting occurs, the person is placed on his side so that he does not choke on the vomit;
• if rare and intermittent breaths are observed, artificial respiration must be repeated.

As soon as the emergency responder determines that the victim’s life is not in danger, the person should be given a good drink and any sorbent available.

Treatment of poisoning

Elimination of consequences caused by gas is carried out extremely carefully. In general, therapeutic treatment is divided into three levels:

• A thorough diagnosis of the patient's body is performed. If the examination shows that some organs need urgent help, the patient is placed in intensive care;
• in the second degree, a treatment protocol is established based on the diagnostic data obtained;
• the next stage of therapy is resorted to to restore the functioning of organs and systems. Physiotherapeutic procedures will be most useful.

In general, the treatment protocol looks like this:

• first perform intubation;
• then anticonvulsant medications are administered;
• the complex is supplemented with glycosides, a large dose of sorbents and antihypoxants.

If the person’s body responds positively to the therapy, he is transferred to further symptomatic treatment in a hospital.

As a rule, the process of treatment and recovery from gas poisoning takes a long time. And even after the end of therapy, preventive monitoring of the patient is required.

What medications to take

To block the effects of intoxication caused by domestic gas, the doctor prescribes medications that will help quickly remove toxic substances. The treatment complex consists of the following medicinal forms:

• To block the spread of toxic substances throughout the victim’s body, an antidote is administered. Acizol is considered the most effective;
• the next stage is connecting IVs with antihypoxants and medications that normalize the functioning of the heart muscle;
• An Ambu bag helps ensure oxygen supply or intubation is performed;
• if the patient is not breathing, he is urgently sent to the intensive care unit, where resuscitation procedures are carried out aimed at stabilizing the condition.

As soon as the patient’s condition can be stabilized, an examination is performed to determine abnormalities in the functioning of the organs. This allows you to begin the second stage of therapy. This medical complex, which provides for the complete elimination of the consequences of gas poisoning and includes the prescription of the following drugs:

• to prevent the development of inflammation in the respiratory system, Pulmicort is prescribed;
• Levopod helps block cramps and also reduce muscle tone;
• to eliminate pain, as well as alleviate the condition of the victim, Novigan is prescribed;
• To strengthen the body's defenses and to destroy the formed carboxyhemoglobin, the drug Carboxylase is indicated.

In addition, the therapy is supplemented with sorbents, with the help of which it is possible to neutralize toxic substances and cleanse the body. Polysorb is considered the most effective medicine for these purposes.

What can you do

In case of gas poisoning, a person is given artificial respiration. But it should be remembered that this manipulation is performed through a damp cloth, which is used to cover the patient’s oral cavity. It is important to comply with this condition so that the person providing assistance does not become poisoned by the gaseous components present in the lungs of the victim.

And one more important point: persons who have been poisoned by methane products are strictly prohibited from administering morphine and adrenaline.

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

• if there is a high concentration of the substance in question in the room, you should not use any electrical appliances or light a fire;
• If a person has received methane poisoning, it is forbidden to stay in the same room with him. It’s better to quickly get out into the fresh air;
• if a person is unconscious, he needs to be given ammonia.

The best prevention of poisoning by gaseous components is careful handling with household devices and leakage control.

Consequences of carbon monoxide poisoning

Even a minimal concentration of toxic substances can cause irreparable damage to the body. The effect of methane on the brain is especially dangerous. Based on statistical data, over 40% of victims of carbon monoxide eventually complain of memory impairment and frequent headaches.

Negative consequences do not always appear immediately after poisoning. Sometimes they begin to bother a person after a few weeks, or even months. These include:

• hearing loss;
• amnesia;
• swelling of the lung tissue;
• blindness;
• asthma.

Less commonly, mental disorders may occur as a result of poisoning.

Poisoning toxic substances methane is very dangerous. Therefore, even if there is a mild degree of intoxication, you should not self-medicate. Such a negative state is fraught with nearby dangerous consequences, which will definitely make themselves known. That's why it's so important to seek help as soon as possible.

Carbon monoxide is a product released when carbon burns; therefore, anyone can be poisoned by it. A particular danger is that for lethal escape a tiny amount of gas is needed, which has neither color nor odor. The second aspect is the speed of action of the poison; often doctors simply do not have time to provide assistance.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is carbon monoxide that is released along with carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned. True, unlike carbon dioxide, the CO content in the room is required to be much less to cause fatal poisoning. Poisoning with the toxin in question is one of the most common household intoxications, which is why it is so important to know its symptoms in order to prevent disastrous consequences.

CO poisoning ranks first in Russia in terms of mortality among household intoxications. Every year in our country at least 100 people die from. The death of those who are poisoned occurs at the scene of poisoning; doctors simply do not have time to provide assistance to the victims. Therefore, it is so important to start taking rescue measures as early as possible.

Physico- Chemical properties CO is such that it is a gas that has neither color nor odor. It is released during the partial combustion of substances containing carbon. To answer the question about carbon monoxide, whether it is heavier or lighter than air, you need to remember your school chemistry course or turn to Wikipedia. With any of the options, we learn that it is lighter than air, and, therefore, during a fire, we need to move, bending as low as possible to the ground.

It penetrates easily thin walls and layers of loose soil. It is not absorbed by materials with a porous structure, which makes filter-type gas masks useless. Carbon monoxide has a rapid, general toxic effect. Thus, when its concentration in the air is over 1.3%, death occurs within 3-4 minutes.

CO is ubiquitous. Consequently, poisoning occurs quite often. You can be poisoned by this gas:

• in case of domestic fires;
• in industries where CO is used as a reagent ( chemical industry, heavy metallurgy);
• with insufficient ventilation in rooms with gas equipment, if there is a leak in gas cylinders(has a characteristic odor due to odorous substances specially added to it; pure CO has no odor);
• at long burning kerosene and gasoline lamps;
• in places where vehicle exhaust gases accumulate ( major highways, garages) you can also get carbon monoxide poisoning.

Effect on the human body

Carbon monoxide, causing acute poisoning, is a dangerous chemical compound for a living organism.

The following groups of people are especially susceptible to its damaging effects:

• people with bad habits(alcoholics, drug addicts and smokers);
• teenagers;
• women during pregnancy;
• children and adolescents under 16 years of age;
• people with exhaustion of the body;
• people diagnosed with anemia;
• people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases, such as bronchial asthma and COPD.

So, the harmful effect on the human body is based on the transformation of the blood composition and damage to the respiratory system.

The main damaging factors of carbon monoxide include:

Blocking transport processes

CO is a blood poison that primarily affects red blood cells (erythrocytes). With the help of hemoglobin protein, which contains iron, cells transport oxygen. When carbon monoxide enters the body, hemoglobin binds more quickly to CO, forming a compound called carboxyhemoglobin. Red blood cells containing such a modified protein lose their ability to deliver oxygen to the organs and tissues of the body, as a result of which they begin to experience oxygen starvation. That is, hypoxia develops.

Nerve cells are the most sensitive to oxygen deficiency. Therefore, the initial signs of CO intoxication will be associated with disorders of the nervous system.

Disorders of skeletal and cardiac muscles

In addition to hemoglobin, which is found in the blood, CO can also bind to myoglobin, which is found in muscle tissue. This also results in the formation of a compound that loses its ability to perform its original function of providing oxygen to the muscle fibers. Thus, symptoms appear in the muscular and cardiovascular systems. These include: shortness of breath, increased heart rate, thready pulse, general muscle weakness.

Carbon monoxide enters into other biochemical reactions of the body, disrupting the metabolic balance in tissues and organs.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

For people in classes at risk of fatal CO poisoning, the manifestations and severity of intoxication depend directly on the concentration of the toxic gas in the air and the time spent in the poisoned environment. air environment. They range from benign to lethal.

Early and late consequences of poisoning

Carbon monoxide is insidious, and the symptoms that appear after poisoning will bother the victim for a long time. First of all, as we found out, the nervous and cardiovascular systems suffer. So, from the nervous system in the first days after poisoning the following will appear:

• headache and dizziness;
• decreased sensitivity in the extremities (associated with damage to peripheral nerve fibers);
• disorders of the visual and auditory analyzers;
• exacerbation of existing mental illnesses.

Late complications that appear a week or even a month after intoxication include:

The occurrence of both early and late complications is caused by a single mechanism. The cells of the nervous system are most susceptible to a lack of oxygen supply to them. Thus, with hypoxia, damage occurs to the white and gray matter of the brain and spinal cord. There is also a direct poisoning effect. Disturbances in the peripheral nervous system are caused by the binding of CO to proteins that form the myelin sheath of the nerve fiber, which leads to disruption of the conduction of nerve impulses.

Consequences from the heart and blood vessels are also divided into early and late.

The mechanism of occurrence is both hypoxia of cardiac muscle tissue when carbon monoxide binds to muscle protein - myoglobin, and the direct toxic effect of carbon monoxide on cardiac tissue.

From the respiratory system, toxic pulmonary edema may occur, and in the long term, a person’s susceptibility to pneumonia will increase of various origins. This is caused by the weakening of the body's natural barriers due to the toxic effects of CO.

Help with poisoning

The outcome of intoxication depends on many factors, but correct and timely measures can save a person’s life. The first thing to do when you see a victim is to call an ambulance. This must be done because, firstly, only a specialist is able to assess the severity of poisoning, secondly, external signs may mislead you into thinking that the victim has a mild form of intoxication, and thirdly, timely drug therapy can save a life person and prevent his disability.

Need hospitalization:

• people with moderate and severe degrees of poisoning;
• pregnant women (due to the risk of fetal death);
• victims with a history of cardiovascular diseases;
• victims with body temperature below normal;
• poisoned with loss of consciousness and other disorders of the nervous system.

After calling an ambulance, it is necessary to ensure a flow of fresh air to the victim. To do this, you need to get rid of the source of CO or leave the dangerous place yourself. The poisoned person can also put on an oxygen mask (if available) or a gas mask (NOT a filter type). This will ensure that the toxin does not enter the body.

Then you need to ensure free air circulation in the upper respiratory tract. To do this, all windows in the room are opened, the patient is freed from restrictive clothing and placed on his side. In the fresh air, the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood decreases, and the position of the body on the side will prevent the tongue from sinking in the event of loss of consciousness.

In case of loss of consciousness, the patient should be given a sniff ammonia, which stimulates the respiratory centers in the brain. You can rub the victim’s chest and back and apply mustard plasters. These measures will increase blood circulation in the thoracic and cerebral arteries. After the person has been brought to consciousness, he can be offered tonic drinks (tea, coffee) that contain substances that stimulate the central nervous system.

If necessary, carry out resuscitation measures - artificial respiration and chest compressions with a cycle of 2 breaths and 30 chest compressions in the heart area in one approach. This will help maintain basic body functions until doctors arrive.

If the poisoned person is in a stable condition, it is necessary to protect him from extra costs energy. To do this, he needs to be provided with peace, wrapped in blankets, and laid on his side on the bed.

The arriving doctors will begin treatment measures:

1. Oxygen therapy. 12−15 liters per minute for 6−7 hours. The procedure is carried out using an oxygen mask, oxygen tent or ventilator. Oxygen seems to compete with the poisonous gas for space on hemoglobin. Therefore, the more oxygen molecules in the inhaled air, the large quantity red blood cells will connect with it.
2. Administration of the antidote. The antidote in this case is acyzol (6% ampoules, 1 ml or 120 mg capsules). 1 ml is administered intramuscularly as early as possible. Repeated administration - after 60 minutes. The drug is also used for prevention. It is taken 20-30 minutes before entering a potentially dangerous area.

Acizol is a remedy against CO poisoning. The drug accelerates the breakdown of carboxyhemoglobin, helping to remove it from the body, increases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, and reduces the toxic effect of the gas on the tissues and organs of the body.