Overview
Clinical Meaning
Carbon monoxide (CO) binds hemoglobin with 200 250x greater affinity than oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb).
PNP-PC
PNP-PC
Carbon monoxide (CO) binds hemoglobin with 200-250x greater affinity than oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). This displaces oxygen from heme binding sites and causes a left shift of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, impairing oxygen release to tissues. CO also binds myoglobin (causing cardiac dysfunction) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (blocking oxidative phosphorylation). The resulting cellular hypoxia triggers anaerobic metabolism with lactic acidosis. Inflammatory cascades from CO-induced oxidative stress cause lipid peroxidation in the CNS, contributing to delayed neurological sequelae (DNS) appearing 2-40 days post-exposure.
Unlock full lesson + practice questions
4 more sections with scenarios, priorities, and review drills.
Final rapid review before practice
Next study step
Finish the lesson first, then choose a focused activity to apply what you just reviewed.
Continue studying
Sign in to save progress on this lesson.
Unlock the interactive lesson quiz with a plan that includes this PNP-PC pathway. You can still explore topic-filtered questions from the bank hubs below.