A patient with carbon monoxide poisoning has a COHb level of 20%. If the patient is given 100% oxygen, what will the approximate COHb level be in 1 hour?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Breathing 100% oxygen significantly reduces the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood. Normally, the half-life of COHb is about 4 to 6 hours in a person breathing room air, but this can be reduced to approximately 40 minutes with the administration of 100% oxygen. Therefore, in about 1 hour, the COHb level would be expected to drop by about half, making 10% a reasonable approximation.

A Patient with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Has a COHb Level