NYMC Faculty Publications
Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
DOI
10.1097/MJT.0000000000000016
Journal Title
American Journal of Therapeutics
First Page
e339
Last Page
e348
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
January 2018
Department
Medicine
Abstract
Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning and poisoning-related death in the United States. It manifests as broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild headache, nausea, and fatigue to dizziness, syncope, coma, seizures resulting in cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, and death. Cardiovascular complications of CO poisoning has been well reported and include myocardial stunning, left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary edema, and arrhythmias. Acute myocardial ischemia has also been reported from increased thrombogenicity due to CO poisoning. Myocardial toxicity from CO exposure is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality. Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels do not correlate well with the clinical severity of CO poisoning. Supplemental oxygen remains the cornerstone of therapy for CO poisoning. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases CO elimination and has been used with wide variability in patients with evidence of neurological and myocardial injury from CO poisoning, but its benefit in limiting or reversing cardiac injury is unknown. We present a comprehensive review of literature on cardiovascular manifestations of CO poisoning and propose a diagnostic algorithm for managing patients with CO poisoning.
Recommended Citation
Garg, J., Krishnamoorthy, P., Palaniswamy, C., Khera, S., Ahmad, H., Jain, D., Aronow, W., & Frishman, W. (2018). Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. American Journal of Therapeutics, 25 (3), e339-e348. https://doi.org/10.1097/MJT.0000000000000016