Carboxyhemoglobinemia


Epidemiology


Etiology


Physiology


Diagnosis


Clinical

Toxidrome:
-Neuro (CNS injury occurs due to hypoxia, hypotension, leukocyte adherence with protease release): headache/ emotional lability/ impaired judgement/ clumsiness/ vis-ual field defects, blindness/ altered MS/ seizures/ resp-iratory depression/ cerebral edema (with papilledema or optic atrophy)
–Up to 30% of cases with LOC have persistent neuro changes (ranging from altered personality to blindness to Parkinson’s) up to 1-3 weeks after exposure
-Cardiac: angina (may precipitate MI)/ myocarditis/ syncope/ arrhy-thmias/ hypotension/ CHF

-Pulmonary:
a) Cyanosis (more common than “cherry red” skin): “Cherry Red” Appearance of Lips and Skin is an insensitive sign associated with carboxyhemoglobinemia
b) Dyspnea/Tachypnea/ Hyperventilation:
c) ALI/ARDS:

-Other: fatigue/ generalized weakness/ N/V/D/ “cherry red” skin and mucous membranes (occurs rarely)/ conversion reaction/ blisters or bullae (over pressure points)/ rhabdomyolysis


Treatment

Supplemental Oxygen:

Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO)

Treatment of Arrhythmias/Hypotension


Prognosis


References