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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
Complications of carbon monoxide poisoning
M S Al-Moamary1, A S Al-Shammary, A A Al-Shimemeri
1Department of Medicine, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. almoamary@excite.com
Objective:
Acute carbon monoxide poisoning is a common problem that occurs during winter and leads to serious complications.
Methods:
We retrospectively studied 24 consecutive cases admitted with the aim of finding the causes and outcome of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.
Results:
The source of poisoning was charcoal in 71% of patients, motor gasoline in 21%, and other causes in 8%. Immediate complications included altered consciousness level in 54% of patients, metabolic acidosis in 46%, pneumonia in 42%, cardiac arrhythmia in 29% and rhabdomyolysis in 25%. Late neurological complications occurred in 17% of patients. All the patients received 100% oxygen. Eleven patients (46%) required mechanical ventilation. Ultimately, 19 patients (79%) recovered completely, 4 (17%) had neurological or cardiac disorders, and 1 (4%) died.
Conclusion:
Immediate and late complications are common in carbon monoxide poisoning cases admitted to the hospital especially when they arrive late. Time lapse between exposure and presentation may have a role in predicting the outcome.
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