This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Guy, K.M.L. Articles by Cross, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The New CO and Smoke Inhalation Advisory Service in the UK

DDRC, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Plymouth, UK

J.K. Pimlott

DDRC, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Plymouth, UK

M. Rogers

DDRC, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Plymouth, UK

M. Cross

DDRC, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Plymouth, UK

Physicians often have limited experience of carbon mon oxide poisoning, and regional and national poison units are regularly contacted for advice. To improve the situa tion a 24-hour/365 days a year advice line was created to advise both hospital accident and emergency depart ments and poison units. This service started in January 1996. All calls to the service are initially dealt with by a first responder whose aim is to identify 'critical answers' and act accordingly. If the patient's poisoning is suffi ciently severe, then onward referral to a hyperbaric unit may be appropriate. In addition to patient care, the CO advisory service provides training and lectures for all hospitals that request this support. To date the total referrals can be broken down as accidental poisoning (51%), smoke inhalation (27%), non-accidental poison ing (21 %) and cause unknown (1 %). This is in contrast to the general perception that non-accidental poisonings make up the vast majority of cases. The service under takes to follow the progress of the patient until all issues are resolved and to remain available to provide advice and support until it is no longer required. In the future the service hopes to provide data for research and eventual ly to provide leadership in organising and running treat ment trials including the efficacy and value of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Key Words: Hyperbaric treatment • Oxygen therapy • Smoke inhalation

Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 8, No. 3, 199-202 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X9900800313


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?