The ‘silent killer’: Do you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to avoid it?

Do you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to prevent it?

Vancouver Coastal Health officials are hoping to make sure you do, in an effort to cut down on the number of people seriously injured by the gas sometimes known as the “silent killer.”

“Carbon monoxide (CO) is like the monster in a very good horror movie. It’s what you don’t see that kills you. Carbon monoxide is invisible, it has no odour,” explained Dr. Bruce Campana, a doctor with Vancouver General Hospital’s hyperbaric unit.

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“Normally the symptoms are that you can feel nauseated, you get dizzy, but there are cases actually where people just drop, they pass out from carbon monoxide poisoning with no warning.”

Campana’s unit operates hyperbaric chambers where people with severe CO poisoning are treated by being immersed in high-pressure, pure oxygen to re-oxygenate their blood.

He estimated the unit treats between 20 and 40 patients every year, and that the province’s emergency rooms probably treat double that many patients for less severe exposure.

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Vancouver Coastal Health estimates that the VCH emergency department treated an average of 55 carbon monoxide patients annually between 2018 and 2022.

Prolonged exposure to CO can damage internal organs, and in extreme cases cause death.

In 2020, B.C. woman Jessica Taschner and her partner were exposed to CO gas from a propane-operated refrigerator while on holiday on the Sunshine Coast and were found unresponsive.

Her partner died, while Taschnerin who was in critical condition at the VGH unit recovered after treatment.

Campana said people are most commonly exposed to CO in their own homes or in their workplaces.

Malfunctioning furnaces or propane appliances are common causes at home, while the use of vehicles or industrial equipment such as pressure washers in enclosed spaces can lead to exposure on the job.

CO can be produced by burning gasoline, wood, charcoal and other fossil fuels, and exposure is possible in poorly ventilated areas.

“Every single case of carbon monoxide poisoning is avoidable,” Campana said, adding that every home should have a CO detector installed.

The devices can be purchased at a hardware store for as little as $20, he said, and should be checked often to ensure the batteries are still working properly.