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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
[Carbon monoxide--poison or potential therapeutic?]
1Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, W640 Montefiore University Hospital, 3459 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15213, USA. alexander.hoetzel@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Abstract:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is much more than just a toxic gas. Carbon monoxide is produced endogenously by the enzyme heme oxygenase and has important functions under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Recent studies suggested antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-apoptotic, and vasodilating characteristics. Regarding clinically-relevant diseases in anesthesiology and critical care medicine, such as adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, or during organ transplantation, cytoprotective properties have been demonstrated by low-dose CO in experimental models. In view of a potential CO application in future human studies, this review discusses what is known to date about CO as it relates to functional, protective and toxic aspects.
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