CO poisoning may be fatally mistaken for the flu

200 people die annually from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the US with thousands more requiring emergency room treatment. CO poisoning can occur from car exhausts (if the exhaust is blocked or leaking), fuel-burning appliances (furnaces, water heaters, room heaters) and wood or charcoal burning inside a home, garage or tent. CO is a poisonous gas that has no color or smell. CO poisoning starts with headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. The symptoms are similar to the flu and thus the condition is frequently misdiagnosed by the patient and by physicians which can result in death. As the condition advances, patients will experience disorientation, unconsciousness and death. If CO poisoning is suspected, patients should immediately obtain fresh air and seek medical attention.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Townonline - Cohasset Mariner

Related Disease Topics:

• Carbon monoxide poisoning (type of Poisoning)
• CO poisoning
• Flu

Related Symptom Topics:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Disorientation
• Unconsciousness

Article Source Details

About: CO poisoning may be fatally mistaken for the flu

Date: 28 January 2005

Source: Townonline - Cohasset Mariner

Author: Steve Bobo

URL: http://www2.townonline.com/cohasset/opinion/view.bg?articleid=174037

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Death from carbon monoxide poisoning
• Death from CO poisoning
• Death from flu
• Death from headache
• Death from fatigue
• Death from shortness of breath
• Death from nausea
• Death from dizziness
• Death from disorientation
• Death from unconsciousness
• Misdiagnosis and carbon monoxide poisoning
• Misdiagnosis and CO poisoning
• Misdiagnosis and flu
• Misdiagnosis and headache
• Misdiagnosis and fatigue
• Misdiagnosis and shortness of breath
• Misdiagnosis and nausea
• Misdiagnosis and dizziness
• Misdiagnosis and disorientation
• Misdiagnosis and unconsciousness
• Diagnosis and carbon monoxide poisoning
• Diagnosis and CO poisoning
• Diagnosis and flu
• Diagnosis and headache
• Diagnosis and fatigue
• Diagnosis and shortness of breath
• Diagnosis and nausea
• Diagnosis and dizziness
• Diagnosis and disorientation
• Diagnosis and unconsciousness
• Cause of carbon monoxide poisoning
• Cause of CO poisoning
• Cause of flu
• Cause of headache
• Cause of fatigue
• Cause of shortness of breath
• Cause of nausea
• Cause of dizziness
• Cause of disorientation
• Cause of unconsciousness
• Risk and carbon monoxide poisoning
• Risk and CO poisoning
• Risk and flu
• Risk and headache
• Risk and fatigue
• Risk and shortness of breath
• Risk and nausea
• Risk and dizziness
• Risk and disorientation
• Risk and unconsciousness
• Diagnosis
• Misdiagnosis (type of Medical misadventure)

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