HBO and acute Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide (CO) takes the place of oxygen in hemoglobin and in the mitochondria of the brain and heart (cytochromes). Asphyxiation follows and quickly more or less significant brain and heart damage. It takes 4-5 hours to remove CO from hemoglobin and several days for mitochondria or hemoprotein complexes.

Damage to the mitochondria as well as the reperfusion lesions that set in after the elimination of CO could explain the appearance of psychological and memory disorders occurring days or months after recovery from the acute phase.

HBO acts by decreasing the elimination of CO at 23 minutes and accelerates that of hemoprotein complexes. Similarly, its improvement in reperfusion injury explains its potential in the prevention of late injury.