[Electrocardiographic changes in acute carbon monoxide poisoning]

Various electrocardiographic alterations (variations in the repolarisation phase, disturbed conduction, arrhythmias) have been reported in acute carbon monoxide poisoning. In the 44 cases of this poisoning examined, electrocardiographic alterations are also considered in relation to the degree of poisoning (expressed as plasmatic levels of carboxyhaemoglobin-HbCO). In 68% of these cases alterations were presented by signs of subepicardiac or subendocardiac damage. Attacks of atrial fibrillation, premature beats and episodes of sinusal tachycardia were also observed. Almost all these electrocardiographic alterations were quickly reversible. It is concluded that there is no correlation between HbCO levels and electrocardiographic alterations (that were in fact more frequent in the slight poisoning cases).