What to know about poisoning from carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide gas, which is invisible and odorless, can be fatal. They can kill people in their homes as they sleep, leak without being detected by generators. It can accumulate within the walls of the closed garage, wafing from the left cars running from residents looking for warmth or strength in a storm.

On Thursday, another death was confirmed with unintentional poisoning by carbon monoxide. Miller Gardner, the 14 -year -old son of long -term Yankees Brett Gardner, died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica. Authorities said the contamination of machines near their room in their resort could blame.

While it can be prevented, carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of deaths associated with poisoning in the United States.

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

Breathing in carbon monoxide causes the accumulation of gas in the blood and is bound by hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues to the rest of the body.

When carbon monoxide is associated with hemoglobin, “kicks oxygen away” the protein and prevents the tissues and organs from getting the oxygen needed to function properly, said Dr. Jason Rose, leader of the lung, critical medical and critical medical.

Exposure to carbon monoxide can also lead to inflammation and cellular damage to important organs, namely the heart and brain, said Dr. Anthony Pizon, head of medical toxicology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who said that

A person exposed to high gas concentrations for a long time may lose consciousness and stop breathing, leading to death, Dr. Rose said. Inhalation of toxic gas can also cause blood pressure drop or may cause potentially fatal heart problems, he added. And those who survive poisoning from carbon monoxide can face long -term neurological problems, including worsening memory, problems with motor skills and symptoms of anxiety or depression, Dr. Rose said.

People may not realize that they have been exposed immediately to carbon monoxide, Dr. Rose said, because some of the symptoms – headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting – may look similar to the appearance of influenza or in another disease. Since the gas is colorless and odorless, Dr. Pizon said, it can also be difficult to know if there is an exposure.

And while gas is particularly toxic to all, Dr. Rose said that children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with pre -existing chronic diseases, such as heart disease, are particularly vulnerable to getting sick after exposure. So are those with breathing problems or anemia, which occurs when people have reduced the levels of red blood cells or hemoglobin already.

If you think you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, search for fresh air immediately and call 9-1-1, Dr. Pizon said. The Fire Service can come home and help determine where the gas comes from. And if you are experiencing symptoms, seek treatment immediately in the nearest emergency room.

“This is not something you go to your main doctor,” Dr. Rose said.

In the emergency room, a health provider will give you pure oxygen through a ventilator or face mask that will help your body rinse carbon monoxide, Dr. Rose said.

Any household device that uses gas and burning fuel in your home, such as a stove, oven, clothing dryer or gas generator, may possibly leak carbon monoxide and cause poisoning if there is no proper ventilation, Dr. Make sure all fuel combustion devices are ventilated out so that carbon monoxide cannot accumulate in, he added. And if you are not sure if your devices are safely ventilated, call a technician to inspect them.

Many car engines also release carbon monoxide, so don’t let your car run, especially in a closed garage connected to your home.

Finally, be sure to install carbon monoxide detectors, which can be purchased at any home improvement store on every floor of your home, Dr. Pizon said. And change their batteries at least once a year. You can also buy a carbon monoxide detector to be used in hotels and accommodation while traveling.

Most poisonings are reported in winter.

More than 400 Americans die each year of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning that is not associated with fire, according to the control and prevention and prevention centers.

Poisoning are more common during the winter or in severe thunderstorms in which power erases and people turn to generators, ovens and warm cars.

In 2021, when a frozen weather system scanned parts of the United States, at least two people died and about 100 were sick in Houston with carbon monoxide poisoning and four other people died in Oregon, authorities said.

In 2022, three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a defective water heater in an Airbnb rental unit in Mexico.

In December, 12 people were found dead by suspicion of carbon monoxide poisoning in an area of ​​skiing in the mountains of the Caucasus in Georgia. They were found in an area over a restaurant where they were employed. An energy generator had been linked and left inside after the restaurant that lost power, police said.