By DAVID JASLOW, MD, MPH, JACOB UFBERG, MD, JOSEPH UKAKIK, EMT, AND PETER SANAMAN, MD

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Residential carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning represents a significant cause of unintentional morbidity and mortality in the United States. Screening by fire departments and utility companies is usually limited to instances in which there are symptoms of CO poisoning or there is activation of a home CO detector.

Objectives: To determine whether emergency medical services (EMS) personnel can perform routine CO screening during 911 calls. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in an urban EMS system using emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to screen for elevated CO levels during emergency responses. The EMTs carried hand-held CO meters that detect as little as one part per million of CO. Readings were taken at the patient's side during indoor patient contacts. If time allowed, a brief questionnaire was then administered to patients or by-standers concerning knowledge about CO poisoning, type of household heating system, and presence of home CO detectors.

Full Story: http://www.aemj.org/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/288