Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
Carbon monoxide-related deaths in Ankara between 2001 and 2011
Cem Uysal1, Safa Celik, Aynur Duzgun Altuntas
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey. drcemuysal@gmail.com
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology of unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings (between 2001 and 2011) in Ankara, Turkey.
Methods:
Data were collected from the records of Ankara Branch of Council of Forensic Medicine and the licensed official institutes and hospitals for medico-legal autopsies. A total of 10,720 medico-legal autopsy reports were obtained and reviewed by the authors.
Results:
Among 622 fatal poisoning cases during the period, 380 deaths were due to unintentional CO poisoning. The mean CO saturation of the groups was 55.4 ± 13.4 (% saturation). The minimum and maximum levels of CO in blood was 3.6 and 86.5 (% saturation), respectively. Of all the fatal poisonings determined by Ankara Branch of Council of Forensic Medicine, CO poisoning was the most common mortality cause (61.1%). Among the cases, 301 (79.2%) were found to be death in their houses, 43 (11.3%) in hospitals, 15 (3.9%) in their workplaces and 11 (2.9%) in some public places such as park and garden. Most of the cases were from the capital city of Turkey, Ankara (n = 203, 53.4%). When we compared the cities according to their population, it was realized that the highest death rate due to CO poisoning was in Kirikkale (12.3/100,000), followed by Karabuk (8.3/100,000), Cankiri (7.8/100,000) and Kirsehir (5.0/100,000).
Discussion And Conclusion:
These findings add new data to the pool of knowledge in terms of the need of safety, proper heating system instructions and more education on CO poisoning in Turkey.
Related Concept Videos
Acute Respiratory Failure-III
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction
Hypoxia
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of β-Ketoacids
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
Carbon Dioxide Transport in the Blood
Forms of CO2 Transport
1. Dissolved in plasma: A small percentage (7-10%) of CO2 is transported and dissolved directly in the plasma.
2. Carbaminohemoglobin: Just over 20% of CO2 is chemically bound to...

