Consumer Information

Smoke Inhalation

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Smoke inhalation is a condition where you breathe in harmful smoke. Harmful smoke comes from burning materials and gases, and contains small particles that are suspended in hot air. These small particles include chemicals, irritants, or toxins (poisons), such as carbon monoxide and cyanide. With smoke inhalation, the lungs and airways become irritated, inflamed (swollen), and blocked. The damaged airways and lungs prevent oxygen from getting into your blood, and respiratory failure may then develop. Respiratory failure means you cannot breathe well enough to get oxygen to the cells of your body.
Smoke inhalation most commonly happens when you get trapped inside a burning structure, such as houses and buildings. Signs and symptoms of smoke inhalation include cough, hoarseness, headache, and trouble breathing. You may also faint (pass out), vomit (throw up), or have problems seeing or thinking clearly. Smoke inhalation can be diagnosed by bronchoscopy, blood tests, chest x-ray, blood gases, or pulmonary function tests. Treatment aims at relieving the signs and symptoms of smoke inhalation. It may include medicines, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, intravenous (IV) fluids, oxygen, and a mechanical ventilator. It is important to follow safety rules and guidelines to prevent smoke inhalation. With proper treatment, you have a greater chance of having a full recovery.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

Smoke inhalation is a serious, life-threatening injury, and treatment should be given as soon as possible. If it is not treated early, the smoke may badly damage your lungs and cause further breathing problems. Your lungs may become infected, very swollen, and filled with fluid. Fluid in the lungs causes severe shortness of breath and may lead to respiratory failure. This may affect your heart and brain, and even lead to death.
Sometimes, treatment for smoke inhalation may cause unwanted side effects. Medicines may cause you to have rashes, nausea (upset stomach), vomiting, or stomach ulcers (sores). Too much pressure on your lungs may cause air leaks or holes. Ask your caregiver if you have questions or concerns about your condition, medicines, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent: You have the right to understand your health condition in words that you know. You should be told what tests, treatments, or procedures may be done to treat your condition. Your doctor should also tell you about the risks and benefits of each treatment. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives caregivers permission to do certain tests, treatments, or procedures. If you are unable to give your consent, someone who has permission can sign this form for you. A consent form is a legal piece of paper that tells exactly what will be done to you. Before giving your consent, make sure all your questions have been answered so that you understand what may happen.

Activity: At first you may need to rest in bed. It may be easier for you to breathe if you rest with the head of your bed raised. You can also breathe easier if you rest your head on three or four pillows. Resting in a reclining chair may also help you breathe better. Another way to breathe easier is by saving your energy and resting more. If you have trouble breathing, call your caregiver right away. You may get out of bed when your breathing has improved.

Deep breathing: This exercise should be done once an hour to keep you from getting a lung infection. Deep breathing opens the tubes going to your lungs. Slowly take a deep breath and hold the breath as long as you can. Then let out your breath. Take 10 deep breaths in a row every hour while awake. You may be asked to use an incentive spirometer to help you with this. Put the plastic piece into your mouth and slowly take a breath as deep and as long as you can. Hold your breath as long as you can. Then, let out your breath.

Intake and output: Your caregivers may need to know the amount of liquid you are getting. They may also need to know how much you are urinating. Men 19 years old and older should drink about 3.0 Liters of liquid each day (close to 13 eight-ounce cups). Women 19 years old and older should drink about 2.2 Liters of liquid each day (close to 9 eight-ounce cups). Certain foods also contain liquid. You may need more or less liquid each day. Ask your caregiver how much liquid you should have each day. Ask caregivers if they need to measure or collect your urine before you dispose of it.

IV: An IV is a tube placed in your vein for giving medicine or liquids. This tube is capped or connected to tubing and liquid.

Medicines: Your caregiver may give you the following kinds of medicines:

Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be given to help treat or prevent an infection caused by germs called bacteria.
Antidotes: These are substances that may stop or control the effects of the harmful smoke you inhaled. Caregivers may give different antidotes depending on the possible cause of your smoke inhalation.
Bronchodilators: You may need bronchodilators to help open the air passages in your lungs, and help you breathe more easily.
Medicines for pain, swelling, or fever: You may be given medicines to treat pain, swelling, or fever while you are in the hospital. These medicines are safe for most people to use. However, they can cause serious problems when used by people with certain medical conditions. Tell caregivers if you have liver or kidney disease, a history of bleeding in your stomach, or any other medical problems. Also tell your caregiver about any allergies you have to medicines. Tell your caregiver about all other medicines, herbs, and supplements that you have taken lately.
Steroids: Steroid medicine may help to open your air passages so you can breathe easier.

Neurologic signs: Neurologic signs are also called neuro signs, neuro checks, or neuro status. Caregivers check your eyes, your memory, and how easily you wake up. Your hand grasp and balance may also be tested. This helps tell caregivers how your brain is working after an injury or illness. You may need to have your neuro signs checked often. Your caregiver may even have to wake you up to check your neuro signs.

Pulse oximeter: A pulse oximeter is a machine that tells how much oxygen is in your blood. A cord with a clip or sticky strip is placed on your ear, finger, or toe. The other end of the cord is hooked to a machine. Caregivers use this machine to see if you need more oxygen.

Tests: You may have any of the following:

Blood gases: This test is also called an arterial blood gas or ABG test. Blood is taken from an artery (blood vessel) in your wrist, arm, or groin. The groin is the area where your abdomen meets your upper leg. Your blood is tested for the amount of "gases" in it, such as oxygen, acids, and carbon dioxide.
Blood tests: You may need blood taken for tests. The blood can be taken from a blood vessel in your hand, arm, or the bend in your elbow. It is tested to see how your body is doing. It can give your caregivers more information about your health condition. You may need to have blood drawn more than once.
Bronchoscopy: This test may be done to look inside your airways and lungs. Caregivers use a bronchoscope to do this test. It is a long tube with a light and magnifying glass on the end. The scope goes in your mouth and into your lungs. Your caregiver may give you medicine for pain or to help you relax during the bronchoscopy. Caregivers may also do a bronchoalveolar lavage through the scope. This is when fluid and cells are sucked up from your lungs to be sent to the lab for tests.
Chest x-ray: This is a picture of your lungs and heart. Caregivers use it to see how your lungs and heart are doing. Caregivers may use the x-ray to look for signs of infection like pneumonia, or to look for collapsed lungs. Chest x-rays may show tumors, broken ribs, or fluid around the heart and lungs.
Computerized tomography scan: This test is also called a CT or CAT scan. A special x-ray machine uses a computer to take pictures of your lungs. Before taking the pictures, you may be given dye through an IV in your vein. The dye helps the lungs, heart, and blood vessels show up better in the pictures. People who are allergic to iodine or shellfish (lobster, crab, or shrimp) may be allergic to this dye. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any of these.
Pulmonary function tests: Pulmonary function tests, also called PFTs, help caregivers learn how well your lungs work. PFTs may also help your caregivers decide on the best treatment for you. During the tests, you breathe into a mouthpiece connected to a machine. The machine measures how much air you breathe in and out over a certain amount of time. This helps caregivers to see how well your lungs are moving and working.
V/Q Scan: This is a ventilation (V) and perfusion (Q) test. This test is also called a VP scan. A V/Q scan is a two-part test which takes pictures of your lungs to look for certain lung problems.
- During the perfusion part of the test, radioactive dye is put into your vein (blood vessel). The blood carries the dye to the blood vessels in your lungs. Pictures are taken to see how blood flows in your lungs.
- During the ventilation part of the test, you breathe in special gas. Pictures are taken to see how well your lungs take in oxygen.

Treatment options: You may need any of the following:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: This is also called HBO. HBO is used to get more oxygen into your body. The oxygen is given under pressure to help it get into your tissues and blood. You may be put into a tube-like chamber called a hyperbaric or pressure chamber. You will be able to see your caregivers and talk with them through a speaker. You may need to have this therapy more than once.
Oxygen: You may need extra oxygen to help you breathe easier. It may be given through a plastic mask over your mouth and nose. It may be given through a nasal cannula, or prongs, instead of a mask. A nasal cannula is a pair of short, thin tubes that rest just inside your nose. Tell your caregiver if your nose gets dry or if the mask or prongs bother you. Ask your caregiver before taking off your oxygen. Never smoke or let anyone else smoke in the same room while your oxygen is on. Doing so may cause a fire.
Ventilator: A ventilator is a special machine that can breathe for you if you cannot breathe well on your own. You may have an endotracheal tube (ET tube) in your mouth or nose. A tube called a trach may go into an incision (cut) in the front of your neck. The ET tube or trach is hooked to the ventilator. The ventilator can also give oxygen to you.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Link to Page

Print Page

Email Page

	Search:
Browse all medications A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z	Advanced Search