Think about acute shisha carbon monoxide intoxication: that's one small step for the patient, one giant leap for our society

Abstract

The number of people in the world consuming chicha is constantly increasing. However, several studies have shown that regular shisha smokers, whether active or passive, are exposed to the same risks as tobacco smokers. Shisha is also responsible for acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, which is often unknown to emergency doctors, leading to under-diagnosis of this pathology and inappropriate treatment. We report in this series 3 cases of acute carbon monoxide poisoning following active or passive consumption of chicha. The prehospital percentage carboxyhemoglobin level measured by the pulse CO-oximeter is 22 and 27% for active smokers and 10% for the passively intoxicated patient. The individual and societal consequences of CO intoxication are significant. We believe it is important to make all those involved in emergency medicine aware of this pathology in order to treat it correctly from the initial phase and thus reduce its morbi-mortality and the risks of long-term complications.