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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Critical Care and Emergency Medicine Approach

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Intensive Care Medicine

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Abstract

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of injury and death due to poisoning worldwide [1, 2]. This colorless, odorless and toxic gas is a product of incomplete combustion of any carbon-containing fuel. The sources of carbon monoxide are plentiful, and with the exception of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide is the most abundant pollutant present in the lower atmosphere [3]. Motor vehicles and other internal-combustion engines, heaters, appliances that use carbon-based fuels, and household fires are the main sources of this poison. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also the most common cause of death in combustion-related inhalation injury [1, 2]. The true incidence of non-lethal carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning is not known and subacute unrecognized cases occur.

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Authors
  1. J. Varon
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  2. P. E. Marik
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Intensive Care, Erasme Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Route de Lennik 808, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-Louis Vincent MD, PhD, FCCM, FCCP (Head) (Head)

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Varon, J., Marik, P.E. (2003). Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Critical Care and Emergency Medicine Approach. In: Vincent, JL. (eds) Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5548-0_74

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5548-0_74

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-5550-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-5548-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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