Which skin color change may be seen in CO poisoning?

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Multiple Choice

Which skin color change may be seen in CO poisoning?

Carbon monoxide poisons by binding tightly to hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which has a bright red color. This gives the skin, lips, and mucous membranes a cherry red hue, a classic finding in CO poisoning. Pallor suggests poor perfusion or anemia, cyanosis indicates deoxygenated hemoglobin but is not the typical hallmark of CO exposure, and jaundice results from bilirubin metabolism, not CO’s effect on hemoglobin. So the cherry red coloration best fits CO poisoning.

Carbon monoxide poisons by binding tightly to hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which has a bright red color. This gives the skin, lips, and mucous membranes a cherry red hue, a classic finding in CO poisoning. Pallor suggests poor perfusion or anemia, cyanosis indicates deoxygenated hemoglobin but is not the typical hallmark of CO exposure, and jaundice results from bilirubin metabolism, not CO’s effect on hemoglobin. So the cherry red coloration best fits CO poisoning.

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