Heart Beat: Heart hurt by carbon monoxide poisoning
Heart Beat
Heart hurt by carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisons 40,000 Americans a year. Survivors sometimes have long-lasting brain damage that leads to memory loss, trouble learning, or other problems. What hadn't been recognized is that carbon monoxide poisoning also has long-term effects on the heart.
Minnesota researchers looked at the health records of 230 adults treated for moderate to severe carbon monoxide poisoning. Just over one-third showed signs of heart damage, measured in the hospital by the same chemical changes used to diagnose heart attacks. Over nearly eight years of follow-up, 38% of those with heart damage died, mostly of cardiovascular causes, compared to 15% of those without heart damage.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise