Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas produced by incomplete combustion ofcarbonaceous material. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a commonly overlooked or misdiagnosed and usuallypresent a diagnostic and treatment challenge. Treatment options remain controversial and vary among centresdue the limited numbers of definitive clinical studies. The main aim of this study is to examine patientssuspected of having CO gas poisoning, their symptoms and management in the emergency department atJordan. In here, a retrospective study that involve two referral teaching hospitals. The analysis is based on datacollected at King Abdullah University Hospital and Jordan University Hospital at the National Poisoning Centrefrom January 2003 through May 2013. A total of 221 cases were reported. At the NPC, carbon monoxide gasexposure was the leading cause of poisoning which accounted for 81.5% of the cases while unknown gasesand unidentified vapours accounted for 18.5% of the toxicities. While the majorities (192 cases) of thereported cases were unintentional (88%) in the remainder, CO gas poisoning was used as homicidal in malesand was used as a suicidal agent in females. At KAUH, all of the reported cases were unintentional. Thefindings demonstrate the incidence of CO poisoning in Jordan. To help lower the incidence of CO gaspoisoning, policies should be structured to allow emergency departments to manage in accordance withinternational guidelines. Public education plays a key and significant role. Carbon monoxide poisoning canpotentially be a significant invisible killer.
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