Resumen

FAJARDO-ZAPATA, Álvaro L. et al. A comparative study of clinical cardiovascular and electrocardiographic patterns in two populations exposed to carbon monoxide. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2012, vol.60, n.4, pp.303-310. ISSN 0120-0011.

Background: Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas which enters the blood through simple diffusion where it combines reversibly with haemoglobin; it forms a compound called carboxyhaemoglobin which displaces oxygen and decreases arterial oxygen content. The direct toxic effect on the heart muscle can cause cardiac arrhythmias constituting the commonest cause of early death due to this type of poisoning. Objective: Comparing cardiovascular and electrocardiographic findings regarding populations occupationally or environmentally exposed to carbon monoxide. Methods: This was a descriptive, crosssectional prevalence study. The populations studied had a cardiovascular examination and an ECG; blood samples were taken to determine their carboxyhaemoglobin levels. Results: The occupationallyexposed population had more electrocardiographic alterations (62.2%) than the environmentallyexposed population (56%) (p = 0.0022172; Chi2 = 9.36; OR = 1.7307, 1.21642.6425I 95%CI). Bradycardia was the most notable cardiovascular alteration (24.7% in the occupationallyexposed population and 14.4% in the environmentallyexposed one). ST segment depression was observed in 52% of the working population and 30% in the environmentallyexposed population (p=0.0000002; Chi2=27.5443; 0R=0.3572, 0.2416 0.5281 95%CI). Conclusion: People who are occupationallyexposed to carbon monoxide are at greater risk of suffering cardiovascular and electrocardiographic alterations than environmentallyexposed people. People having carboxyhaemoglobin values higher than 3.5% led to them having an increased risk of having ST segment alterations.

Palabras clave : carbon monoxide; carboxyhemoglobyn; alterations cardiovascular; occupational exposure; toxicology.

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