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If exposure continues, coma, convulsion and death from respiratory arrest can result. Higher levels cause fainting upon exertion, marked confusion and collapse. As the CO level or exposure time increases, symptoms become more severe and additional ones appear: irritability, chest pain, fatigue, diminished judgment, dizziness and dimness of vision. Symptoms of mild to moderate CO poisoning may resemble winter flu or gastroenteritis, particularly in children, and include nausea, lethargy and malaise. The first and most obvious symptom is usually a headache with throbbing temples.
Symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning skin#
Tightness across the forehead, flushed skin and slightly impaired motor skills also may occur. People with pre-existing cardiac conditions who use these products in unventilated spaces risk heart attack and death.Īt low levels, CO exposure causes no obvious symptoms, although people exposed to low CO levels may experience decreased exercise tolerance and shortness of breath during exertion. Using products that contain methylene chloride for more than a few hours can raise CO levels in the blood seven to 25 times normal.

Smoke given off by cigarettes also can cause elevated CO levels in both the smoker and nonsmokers who are exposed to the smoke.

Fires can raise CO levels in the blood of unprotected persons to 150 times normal in one minute CO poisoning is the most frequent cause of immediate death associated with fire.Culprits can include your home heating system, but also improperly vented or unvented gas appliances, kerosene or propane space heaters, charcoal grills or hibachis, and Sterno-type fuels. Faulty heating equipment accounts for nearly one-third of accidental CO fatalities.Indoor events, such as tractor pulls, car and truck exhibitions, or ice hockey or skating, can expose spectators and participants to elevated CO levels if these areas are not adequately ventilated.
Symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning professional#
People in certain occupations-including highway workers, traffic officers, tunnel workers, professional drivers, toll booth attendants and warehouse workers-are exposed regularly to high levels of the CO. Lethal levels of the gas can occur in as little as 10 minutes in a closed garage. Automobile exhaust combined with inadequate ventilation is responsible for two-thirds of all accidental CO deaths.
