Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Insufficient professional vigilance for, and competence in its diagnosis.

Recognition of chronic, low-level CO poisoning.

Lack of research on the link between low-level chronic CO poisoning and lasting effects.

Morbidity and mortality of what is suspected to be large numbers of undiagnosed cases.

Mechanisms of toxicity apart from the combination of CO with hemoglobin not well understood.

Lack of public awareness of the dangers of accidental CO poisoning.

Favoring CO by the public as a means for suicide.

Criteria for the treatment of CO-poisoned patients.

Questions about the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Severity of poisoning difficult to assess.

Uncertainty in the prediction of the development of (delayed) sequelae.