Amid rise in death due to suffocation, asphyxiation; SKIMS issues advisory

Dr Naveed calls for precaution, urges people to avoid appliances consuming oxygen, ensure proper ventilation

SRINAGAR: In the wake of a surge in deaths due to suffocation and asphyxiation in different parts of Kashmir, the doctors have called for precaution while urging people to ensure proper ventilation.
HOD of a department in Chest Disease Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir, said in the past many days, we have seen people dying due to suffocation, which is a matter of concern.
Adding that, he said because of winter, we use different kinds of appliances to keep rooms warm. Gas heaters, charcoal and other such appliances consume the oxygen within the particular room. In the absence of proper and due ventilation, there is an accumulation of obnoxious gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which are odourless gases. As such, people don't notice the same.
Dr Naveed urged people to take precautionary measures and called the same as the need of the hour. “While we need to keep our room warm, people should use those appliances which normally do not consume oxygen, and importantly, there is a need to maintain proper ventilation,” he said.
“Any such appliance which consumes oxygen need not be kept functional or in use throughout the night. People must ensure that obnoxious gases find vent outside and at the same time, there is a continuous flow of oxygen, and that is why proper ventilation is a must”, Dr Naveed said.
Another doctor at SKIMS Soura said, “Initial causes are that one gets dizziness, headache, fatigue or weakness, shortness of breath, confusion or mental disorientation, chest pain (in severe cases) and falls unconscious.
“Normally, haemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and organs, but once carbon monoxide enters the body, it has a high affinity for haemoglobin, and as such, the oxygen transportation process gets impaired, so people tend to have dizziness, etc. and ultimately the patient succumbs.”
“People must ensure adequate airflow in areas including those where fuel-burning appliances, like gas heaters or stoves, are kept”, he said.
Meanwhile, Sheri-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura has issued a public advisory to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, advising people to install carbon monoxide detectors and ventilate their houses properly.
"In light of a concerning increase in cases of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning recently reported within our community, we urge all residents to take immediate precautions to protect themselves and their families”, it reads.
As per the advisory, "Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that can be deadly if inhaled in large amounts. The number of individuals treated for CO poisoning in our critical care units has risen drastically, with many patients requiring emergency intervention."
Households using gas heaters, stoves or fireplaces, vehicles running in closed garages and use of generators or grills indoors and workplaces with poor ventilation, especially in confined spaces, are at risk, it reads.
Headaches, dizziness or light-headedness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue or weakness, shortness of breath, confusion or mental disorientation and chest pain (in severe cases) are signs of symptoms, the advisory reads. If you experience any of these symptoms, leave the area immediately and seek medical attention.