Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is poisonous, and a high amount of CO in the air presents a danger to everyone.
However, certain groups of people, such as babies and young children, pregnant women, those with chronic heart disease, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, are even more vulnerable to the effects of CO gas.
CO poisoning can be mild, leading to flu-like symptoms, such as headache and dizziness, or it can be more serious. The severity of CO poisoning depends on the length of exposure and how much carbon monoxide gas you have been exposed to.
Between 10 and 15% of people who have severe carbon monoxide poisoning develop long-term complications. Some of the complications of severe exposure to carbon monoxide gas are described below.
Permanent brain damage
Prolonged exposure to CO gas can cause memory problems and difficulty concentrating. It can also cause vision and hearing loss.
In rare cases, people who have been exposed to CO gas over a long period of time can develop Parkinsonism. This is a condition that is characterised by the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease: shaking, stiffness and slowness of movement.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic (long-term) neurological (brain) condition that affects the way that the brain co-ordinates body movements, including walking, talking and writing.
See the Health A-Z topic about Parkinson’s disease for more information.
Heart damage
Coronary heart disease can occur as a result of many years of CO poisoning.
See the Health A-Z topic about Coronary heart disease for more information about the condition.
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a condition where you unintentionally pass urine. It is sometimes described as an involuntary leakage of urine. Urinary incontinence is particularly common in women.
See the Health A-Z topic about Urinary incontinence for more information about the condition.
Harm to unborn babies
Exposure to CO gas may cause harm to an unborn child. Low birth weight, perinatal death (stillborn and deaths within the first four weeks of birth), and behavioural problems may occur in children who are exposed to CO during pregnancy.
