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Breathing and Exchange of Gases
Transport of Gases: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
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Concepts tested
- Carboxyhaemoglobin formation
All Questions
2004 AIPMT 1 question
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Blood analysis of a patient reveals an unusually high quantity of carboxy-haemoglobin content. Which of the following conclusions is most likely to be correct ? The patient has been inhaling polluted air containing unusually high content of -Carboxyhaemoglobin is the stable compound formed when carbon monoxide (CO) combines with haemoglobin: $Hb + CO \rightarrow HbCO$.
The affinity of haemoglobin for CO is about 200–250 times greater than its affinity for oxygen, and the combination is nearly irreversible.
So inhaled CO occupies the oxygen binding sites of haemoglobin, the oxygen carrying capacity of blood falls, and tissues suffer oxygen shortage (CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, and in severe cases death).
CO is produced by incomplete combustion, e.g. vehicle exhaust, coal stoves and smoking.
Carbon dioxide is carried mainly as bicarbonate and as carbaminohaemoglobin, which is a different compound and is easily reversible.
So a high carboxyhaemoglobin content means the patient has been inhaling air with an unusually high content of carbon monoxide.