5-Minute Emergency Consult
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Basics
Description
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, nonirritating gas
- Binds to hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin:
- Decreases O2-carrying capacity
- Direct cellular toxin
- Impairs cellular O2 utilization
Etiology
- Endogenous:
- Result of normal metabolism
- Incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fossil fuel:
- Internal combustion engines
- Natural gas
- Nonelectric heaters
- Indoor grills
- Fireplaces
- Furnaces
- Accidental fires
- Tobacco smoke
- Methylene chloride:
- Found in some solvents for paint removal and furniture stripping
- Converted in vivo to CO after exposure
- Peak carboxyhemoglobin levels delayed after exposure
- Half-life is ∼2 times that of inhaled CO
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Citation
Schaider, Jeffrey J., et al., editors. "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning." 5-Minute Emergency Consult, 7th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2027. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307495/2/Carbon_Monoxide_Poisoning_.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307495/2/Carbon_Monoxide_Poisoning_. Accessed July 13, 2026.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. (2027). In Schaider, J. J., Barkin, R. M., Hayden, S. R., Wolfe, R. E., Barkin, A. Z., Shayne, P., & Rosen, P. (Eds.), 5-Minute Emergency Consult (7th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307495/2/Carbon_Monoxide_Poisoning_
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning [Internet]. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. [cited 2026 July 13]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307495/2/Carbon_Monoxide_Poisoning_.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
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ED - Barkin,Adam Z,
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ED - Rosen,Peter,
ED - Schaider,Jeffrey J,
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ED - Hayden,Stephen R,
ED - Wolfe,Richard E,
BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult
UR - https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307495/2/Carbon_Monoxide_Poisoning_
PB - Wolters Kluwer
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DB - Emergency Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
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