Last year, Intermountain Health<\/a> used hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat 157 patients for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and it continues to go up every year. In 2024, Intermountain has already treated 168 carbon monoxide-poisoned patients.<\/p>\n Approximately 50,000 people in the U.S. visit the emergency department each year due to accidental CO poisoning.<\/p>\n There are three things that make carbon monoxide extremely dangerous:<\/p>\n 1) The molecules of carbon monoxide are so small, they can easily travel through drywall.<\/p>\n 2) Carbon monoxide doesn\u2019t sink or rise \u2013 it mixes easily with the air inside a home.<\/p>\n 3) It is an odorless gas, so without an alarm to notify you that it is in your home or place of work, you likely wouldn\u2019t notice until it was too late. These three traits combined is what gives carbon monoxide the title of, \u201cThe Silent Killer.\u201d In high enough concentrations it can kill within minutes and claims hundreds of lives each year.<\/p>\n CO is often produced from a faulty furnace or other heating sources inside the home, workplaces, schools and while camping in tents or trailers. Exposures to CO also comes from automobile exhaust, small gas engines such as generators and concrete cutting saws, and other fuel-operated machines being used in poorly ventilated spaces.<\/p>\n Lindell Weaver, MD, medical director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Center at Intermountain Medical Center and LDS Hospital, says as\u00a0temperatures\u00a0drop and people turn on their heaters, or look for alternative heating sources, they need to also remember to protect themselves and their families from this deadly gas.<\/p>\n \u201cNausea, tiredness, aches, and pains are just some of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, which are very similar to the flu,\u201d says Dr. Weaver. \u201cIf you suspect you have been exposed to high levels of\u00a0carbon\u00a0monoxide\u00a0you should leave immediately and seek help.\u201d<\/p>\n At Intermountain Health\u2019s hyperbaric medicine department, carbon monoxide-poisoned patients are treated with hyperbaric oxygen delivered by breathing pure oxygen while inside a pressurized hyperbaric chamber, to reduce the chance of permanent brain damage.<\/p>\n Although treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning reduces the risk of possible permanent brain or cardiac injury, disability can still occur.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s vital that people take the necessary precautions to prevent and avoid carbon monoxide exposure, as it\u2019s the best way to keep everyone safe,\u201d says Dr. Weaver. \u201cIt can\u2019t be seen, can\u2019t be smelled, can\u2019t be heard \u2013 but it can be stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of exposure. Here are some tips from Dr. Weaver:<\/p>\n \u201cThe detectors are small and compact. I just throw one in my suitcase with all my clothes and other items. It\u2019s now a life-saving necessity on the packing list,\u201d said Dr. Weaver.<\/p>\n If a detector sounds, leave your home immediately, call 9-1-1 and seek prompt medical help if you suspect CO poisoning.<\/p>\n For more information, go to https:\/\/intermountainhealthcare.org\/services\/wound-care\/hyperbaric-medicine\/<\/a>.\t\t<\/p>\n \n About Intermountain Health<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health<\/a><\/b> is a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https:\/\/intermountainhealthcare.org\/news<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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