Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas. Though carbon monoxide is produced in certain metabolic activities, it is present in very low levels. It functions as a signaling molecule or a vasodilator; however, it is also known to be the cause of certain diseases when its levels increase. Diseases like degeneration of nerves, heart failure, and high blood pressure are related to levels of carbon monoxide. Added to that, levels of carbon monoxide are also known to effect inflammatory responses. While the influence on inflammatory response can be an ill effect, its efficacy to treat certain conditions like ischemia, cardiac xenograft rejection, asthma, reperfusion injury, and others are being studied. This is because carbon monoxide has the ability to regulate production of cytokines, regulate movement of leukocytes, and create immunomodulatory responses. Higher levels of carbon monoxide in the body is known to create carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning creates symptoms like headache, dizziness, chest pain, weakness, and confusion. It can cause irregular heartbeats, loss of consciousness, and even death. It is mainly caused due to inhalation of fumes from vehicles, burning material, and others. Levels of carbon monoxide are measured with a blood test called carboxyhemoglobin. Treatment is provided by infusing hyperbaric oxygen. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause a rare complication called diabetes insipidus. After the episode of carbon monoxide poisoning, symptoms of diabetes crop up along with neurological complications and possibly hypernatremia. People with type 1 diabetes are prone to ketoacidosis. In people with diabetic ketoacidosis, some studies suggest that there is apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in the arterial blood gases. A reason for this is attributed to high blood sugar levels and lactic acidosis. A research studying relation between oxidative stress and exhalation of carbon monoxide found that levels of carbon monoxide exhaled by people with diabetes are higher. The efficacy of carbon monoxide to control diabetes-related gastroparesis is also under study.