Gasoline poisoning

This article discusses the harmful effects from swallowing gasoline or breathing in its fumes.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

The poisonous ingredients in gasoline are chemicals called hydrocarbons, which are substances that contain only hydrogen and carbon. Examples are benzene and methane.

Where Found

These ingredients are found in gasoline.

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

Symptoms

Gasoline poisoning can cause symptoms in various parts of the body:

AIRWAYS AND LUNGS

• Breathing difficulty
• Throat swelling

EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT

• Pain
• Vision loss

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Abdominal pain
• Blood stools
• Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
• Vomiting, possibly with blood

HEART AND BLOOD

• Collapse
• Low blood pressure -- develops rapidly

NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Convulsions
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Feeling of being drunk (euphoria)
• Headache
• Loss of alertness
• Staggering
• Seizures
• Weakness

SKIN

• Burns
• Irritation

Home Care

Get medical help right away. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care provider.

If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a provider. DO NOT give water or milk if the person is unconscious (has a decreased level of alertness).

If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move them to fresh air.

Before Calling Emergency

Get the following information:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Time the gasoline was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control

Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The person may receive:

• Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs, and a breathing machine (ventilator).
• Bronchoscopy. Camera placed down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs.
• Chest x-ray
• EKG (heart tracing)
• Endoscopy. Camera placed through the mouth to see burns in the esophagus and stomach.
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach ( gastric lavage ).

  Gastric lavage

  Gastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.

   

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• Washing of the skin (irrigation). Perhaps every few hours for several days.

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing gasoline may cause damage to the linings of the mouth, throat, esophagus (food pipe), stomach, and intestines. If gasoline gets into the lungs (aspiration), serious and possibly permanent lung damage can occur.

The harsh taste of gasoline makes it unlikely that large quantities will be swallowed. However, several cases of poisoning have occurred in people trying to suck (siphon) gas from an automobile tank using a garden hose or other tube. This practice is extremely dangerous and is not advised.