HuffPost: This 'Invisible Killer' in Your Home Can Be Mitigated With 1 Small Purchase
HuffPost recently interviewed Cedars-Sinai emergency medicine physician Karra Manier, MD, about carbon monoxide—an odorless, tasteless gas that can be fatal when inhaled at high levels.
Manier told HuffPost that carbon monoxide is produced by ordinary appliances and vehicles, such as furnaces, space heaters, stoves and cars. However, the gas becomes poisonous when it builds up in enclosed spaces. When these devices are burning in places without enough oxygen, she said, it produces carbon monoxide.
“When it gets inhaled, this gas replaces oxygen within our blood and reduces the amount of oxygen that is delivered to our tissues,” Manier said. “That’s what’s causing the poisoning and the death of our cells.”
It’s important to be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning because the gas is odorless and hard to detect.
“Carbon monoxide poisoning actually has a wide range of symptoms, but it most commonly presents as a headache, and it can also cause flulike symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, vomiting, confusion and then also loss of consciousness,” Manier told HuffPost, adding that similar symptoms in pets also could be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning.
If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, seek out fresh air and medical attention.
To avoid becoming ill, Manier recommends installing carbon monoxide detectors to protect against dangerous levels of the gas. She noted that this device is different from a smoke detector, and “installing this in every level of your home, and then monitoring it monthly, can help detect any leaks or exposure.”
Click here to read the complete article from HuffPost.