The advantage EMS has in diagnosing CO toxicity

Toxicologist Jerry Snow, MD, joins our hosts to discuss the common symptoms and what leads to misdiagnosis in carbon monoxide poisoning

In this episode of the MCHD Paramedic Podcast, MCHD Medical Directors Dr. Robert Dickson and Dr. Casey Patrick are joined by toxicologist and friend of the podcast, Jerry Snow, MD, to talk about the nuts and bolts of carbon monoxide poisoning.

All of your CO poisoning questions are answered – from the use of portable CO devices, to the presentation and recognition of CO poisoned patients. Our hosts hit on all the cold weather, carbon monoxide high yield information while reminding EMS to keep it on their differential.

Next for the playlist: “Serial killers: Altered mental status.” In this episode of the MCHD Paramedic Podcast, learn the 5 diagnoses for altered mental status that can kill your patient emergently

Read more: “5 tips for treating possible carbon monoxide poisoning” with Art Hsieh, MA, NRP

About the author

The MCHD Paramedic Podcast was launched in early 2018 in an effort to provide easily consumable core-content EMS education and insights from prehospital care thought leaders. The Clinical Services Department of The Montgomery County Hospital District EMS service developed the podcast as a tool to better engage and disseminate continuing education to our MCHD medics as well as first responders and EMS professionals nationwide.

Dr. Casey Patrick is the assistant medical director for Montgomery County Hospital District EMS and is a practicing emergency physician in multiple community emergency departments across Greater Houston. His EMS educational focus is on innovative paramedic teaching via the MCHD Paramedic Podcast. Dr. Patrick’s prehospital clinical research involves the investigation of paramedic use of bolus dose intravenous nitroglycerin for acute pulmonary edema and the implementation of lung protective ventilation strategies for intubated EMS patients. Casey and his wife, Alyssa, work and live in Conroe, Texas, and Spokane, Washington. Together they have five children: Mia, Ainsley, Brock, Dean and Will.

Dr. Dickson graduated with honors from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio in 2001 and completed emergency medicine training at Indiana University in 2004. He serves as the EMS medical director at Montgomery County Hospital District EMS and an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His academic interests include systems of care in stroke and other time-sensitive emergencies, neurologic emergencies and education. He is board certified in emergency medicine in both the U.S. and Australasia, and has subspecialty board certification in EMS medicine. He has authored multiple professional articles and presented at regional, national and international conferences on emergency medicine and EMS topics.