Healthier Together is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah
You can’t smell, taste, or see it, but it can be deadly.
Every year, hundreds of Utahns end up in the emergency room due to carbon monoxide poisoning. But it’s something that’s easy to avoid with the right precautions in place.
“In the winter months, carbon monoxide poisoning is much more likely,” said Dr. Mike Woodruff, Executive Medical Director for Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
Woodruff said that’s because during the cold weather months, people are more likely to use fuels to heat their home.
“Carbon monoxide is created with incomplete combustion or incomplete burning of fuels,” he said.
And the scary part is - it’s almost undetectable until it’s too late. Most people don’t even realize they’re being poisoned.
“The symptoms are very insidious and they’re non-specific. They basically make you feel terrible and act strange,” said Woodruff.
Headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, or flu-like symptoms are common signs to watch out for, especially if a large group of people experience these issues at the same time.
“Across the nation there are over 100,000 thousand ER visits and about 400 deaths,” said Woodruff.
In Utah in 2023 there were 276 ER visits and no deaths, but in 2024 there were several fatalities in our state due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Woodruff encouraged all Utahns to take action now to keep their family safe.
“Carbon monoxide detectors – just like a smoke alarm – you should have multiple of them in your home.”
Woodruff also shared these helpful tips.
“Don’t ever warm up a vehicle in the garage. It might be cold out, but even if the door is open, toxic levels of carbon monoxide can buildup in your garage.”
Running your snowblower in an enclosed area like your garage is also advised against. You should also get your heating system checked out and make sure to clean out your chimney if you have one.
If you or your loved ones experience carbon monoxide poisoning, you must act quickly.
“The main treatment here is getting people out of the environment with the carbon monoxide. Get them to fresh air immediately,” said Woodruff.
Some people also require a trip to the Emergency Room for oxygen, and in some cases even need to spend time in a hyperbaric chamber.
The faster you act, the more likely a patient is for a full recovery.