Table of contents:
- Why can CO gas poisoning in cars?
- Why can CO gas be life threatening?
- What to do if you experience CO gas poisoning in your car?
- Prevent CO gas poisoning in cars
Have you ever heard the news of someone poisoning with CO gas in the car? CO gas (or what is often called carbon monoxide gas), is a very poisonous gas. This gas is very dangerous because it is very difficult to detect because it is odorless, colorless, and cannot be tasted. So you might just inhale the gas without realizing it. In too high a level, this gas can cause death.
Why can CO gas poisoning in cars?
Generally, CO gas can be produced from industries that carry out incomplete combustion, such as oil, wood, gasoline, propane, and kerosene. However, CO gas can also be produced from cigarettes, stoves, and the combustion of vehicle fuels such as cars and trucks.
If there is a leak in the exhaust drainage of the combustion, the CO gas that should be disposed of will actually enter the car that is being started and is inhaled without the passenger noticing. That is why there are quite a number of cases of CO gas poisoning due to being in a running car that is not running too long.
Worse yet, based on research conducted by the POM, the habit of heating a car in a closed garage for 10 minutes can actually increase the risk of CO gas poisoning. This is because the exhaust gas is trapped in the garage, cannot be removed.
Therefore, it's a good idea to always make sure and check the exhaust system of your car engine and always heat the car in an open place.
Why can CO gas be life threatening?
When you inhale CO gas, you can feel a variety of symptoms, depending on how long you inhale CO, how much CO is in the air, and the gas exchange process in your lungs.
In the mild stage of poisoning, you will generally experience the following signs:
- limp
- headache (usually in the forehead area and its taste replied)
- dizzy
- nausea and vomiting
- blurred vision
At a later stage (moderate stage), you may experience the following symptoms:
- hard to breathe
- the pulse becomes fast
- chest pain
- passed out
In a severe stage of poisoning, you can experience a drop in blood pressure, disorders of the heart and respiratory system, seizures, coma, and decreased consciousness.
If the exposure continues and the more CO gas you breathe in, then you will experience a decrease in consciousness until death. This is because when you breathe in CO gas, it will replace the position of oxygen that you should be breathing. The reason is, CO gas has the ability to bind to red blood cells (Hb), as much as 200-250 times higher than oxygen gas.
Furthermore, CO gas will form a bond called COHb and enter the blood vessels and various organs of the body such as the heart, brain and other vital organs. If this continues, over time the body will lack oxygen and cause the body's organs to fail to function.
Even having experienced CO poisoning can also have an impact on your nervous system. Based on research, there are changes in thinking and memory abilities, difficulty focusing, impaired decision making, depression to anxiety that can occur for more than a year.
Children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung disease and those who smoke are more prone to poisoning this gas, than other people. Those who have heart disease, when exposed to CO gas can cause chest pain that occurs suddenly.
What to do if you experience CO gas poisoning in your car?
If you already feel the symptoms mentioned above, it's a good idea to leave the place immediately and visit the nearest doctor or hospital. This is because the exposure that occurs continuously, coupled with the increasing amount of CO gas that enters, can endanger your life.
On arrival at the hospital, you will generally receive immediate treatment to help the respiratory system and heart. You will also generally be given an oxygen mask immediately to help remove CO in your respiratory system and replace it with oxygen. Giving this oxygen mask is generally done while monitoring your COHb level until it reaches a level of less than 5 percent.
Prevent CO gas poisoning in cars
Here are some tips you can do to prevent CO gas poisoning in cars, including:
- Try checking the car engine regularly. There is a leak from the system exhaust cars can cause CO gas to be trapped in your car.
- If you want to warm up the car, or leave the car running, make sure you open the door, or open the window. Make sure there is good air circulation.
- Do not heat the car in the house or closed garage that is one with the house. Always heat the car in an open area. If your garage is one with the house, try to open the door or window while you are heating.
- Also be careful with other appliances such as stoves, gas and tools that use charcoal as fuel, such as grills. This is because these tools can also produce CO gas. Make sure there are no leaks when you use it.
