Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: The Culture of Indoor Burning

摘要

This patient case report describes a 40-year-old African woman presenting with a classic acute presentation of carbon monoxide poisoning from an unlikely source responding to conventional treatment. This case highlights the classic presenting features of carbon monoxide poisoning and the requirement to maintain a high index of suspicion and immediate use of rapid empirical treatment in the undifferentiated patient, sometimes before diagnostics and definitive diagnosis can be determined. The definitive diagnosis and cause of poisoning are also discussed to educate the emergency physician to new and foreign cultural habits and encourage best medical practices within multicultural societies.