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Author
Allen, T. H. | Allard, R. W.
Title
Fundamental Parameters Influencing the Accumulation and Elimination of Carbon Monoxide by Adult Human Beings.
Coporate
Army Medical Research and Nutrition Laboratory, Denver, CO
Report
261; Task No. 5-28, September 1, 1961, 50 p.
Distribution
Defence Technical Information Center, Fort Belvoir, VA (Document Partially Illegible) http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/
Keywords
carbon monoxide | adults | human beings | experiments | hemoglobin | carboxyhemoglobin | oxygen | equations | physiological effects | computation | toxicity | ventilation | fire statistics | steady state | blood | test methods
Identifiers
influence of fundamental parameters; poisioning; biochemistry; mathematical prediction; mathematical analysis
Abstract
The basis of a mathematical system for accumulation: elimination of carbon monoxide by human beings is described. The system can be solved by a person acquainted with algebraic methods, and one is able to predict the level of carboxyhemoglobin as a function of time from the initial level of carboxyhemoglobin, the concentration of inspired carbon monoxide and oxygen, expiratory flow rate, total body hemoglobin, and total pressure of gas breathed. These findings suggest that future physiological investigations, using carbon monoxide as a tracer, should include the measurement of further parameters than often included to date. Examples are given of the method of calculation, and this is used to illustrate the importance of each parameter. Although scarcely any data are available on elimination of carbon monoxide, it is further shown how the system may predict the rate of elimination, especially when using the newest method of treating carbon monoxide poisoning by means of artificial ventilation with pure oxygen at a total ambient pressure of two atmospheres.