When the temperature drops to dangerous lows outside, sometimes the greatest danger can be lurking in our own homes.
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a deadly odorless and colorless gas that is produced from the burning of fuels and can build up in indoor spaces, poisoning the people and animals who breathe it.
Common Causes
According to Baruch Fertel, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic, emergency physicians usually see carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of one of two main culprits.
“People have a remote starter and they’ll start the car in the garage and the garage is attached to their house,” said Fertel. “Or during this time of year, we start seeing it when people have space heaters that are un-vented or that are fuel-burning in an area that doesn’t have ventilation.”
Symptoms
Carbon monoxide is responsible for more than 20,000 visits to the ER and more than 400 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fertel said the cure for CO poisoning is fresh air, but oftentimes, it’s difficult to know when there is a problem. Because the symptoms of CO poisoning are often vague, people don’t realize they are becoming sick.
Fertel said it’s important to take note of your symptoms, especially if you have others in the house who are experiencing the same problems.
“The important thing for people to know about carbon monoxide poisoning is if you start feeling these kind of symptoms — headache, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, just feeling a little ‘off’ — it’s important to get outside into fresh air,” Fertel said.
Prevention
It’s important for people who are using a space heater to make sure it has been inspected for safety.
Always check the cords to make sure they are not frayed and only purchase heaters that have been laboratory approved with an automatic shutoff feature should the heater tip over.
Fertel recommends always having a carbon monoxide detector in the home. If the alarm sounds, it’s important to get fresh air into the home and call the fire department right away – never assume that it is a false alarm because it could be a matter of life or death.
— Submitted by Cleveland Clinic News Service
