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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Prevention and Risk Factors

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• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

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• Older Adults
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas that has no odor or color. But it is very dangerous. It can cause sudden illness and death. CO is found in combustion fumes, such as those made by cars and trucks, lanterns, stoves, gas ranges and heating systems. CO from these fumes can build up in places that don't have a good flow of fresh air. You can be poisoned by breathing them in. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chest pain
• Confusion

It is often hard to tell if someone has CO poisoning, because the symptoms may be like those of other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before they have symptoms. A CO detector can warn you if you have high levels of CO in your home.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• "Invisible" Killer (Consumer Product Safety Commission) - PDF
• Carbon Monoxide Information Center (Consumer Product Safety Commission) Also in Spanish
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention (United States Fire Administration)
• Carbon Monoxide's Impact on Indoor Air Quality (Environmental Protection Agency) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (American Red Cross) - PDF
• CPSC Warns of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning with Camping Equipment (Consumer Product Safety Commission) - PDF
• How to Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• When Your Furnace Kicks On, Be Sure Poison Gas Isn't Coming Out (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Workplace Carbon Monoxide Hazards (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Videos and Tutorials

• Quiet Killer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Hyperbaric oxygen for paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity syndrome after acute carbon monoxide...
• Article: Abnormalities of Hippocampal Subfields in Individuals With Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
• Article: Impact of meteorological conditions and air pollution on the incidence of...
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Environmental Protection Agency Also in Spanish
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Also in Spanish

Older Adults

• Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Information for Older Adults and Their Caregivers (Environmental Protection Agency) - PDF

Patient Handouts

• "Invisible" Killer (Consumer Product Safety Commission) - PDF
• Abnormal hemoglobins testing (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carbon monoxide poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish