Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas produced by burning organic material. CO, tar and nicotine are the main constituents of tobacco smoke. All represent some risk to the smokers’ health. Carbon monoxide mainly affects the lungs, heart, and blood vessels, and in pregnant women passes into the blood of the fetus, reducing its oxygen supply. The carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke is the same carbon monoxide found in atmospheric pollution and vehicle exhaust. The levels absorbed by the body from pollution, however, are very low compared with the amount in tobacco smoke.

It shows the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in smokers’ lungs and blood. This is an indirect, non-invasive measure of blood Carboxyhemoglobin (%COHb), which is the level of CO in smokers’ blood. Elevated breath CO from smoking can also act as an indicator of the levels of some 7000 toxic substances present in cigarette smoke, approximately 69 of which are known to cause cancer. The smokers’ CO reading doesn’t tell you exactly how many cigarettes they are smoking, rather it tells you how much smoke the smokers are inhaling and how much of the cigarette they are smoking. Therefore, the CO breath test is an indicator to smokers’ dependence to nicotine. Smokers’ readings are typically going to be high immediately after smoking a cigarette, and it will be at its highest later in the day, when they have smoked most or all of their daily ration of cigarettes and they have built up a high CO level.

CO testing is a quick, non-invasive and cost-effective means of validating the smoking status of smokers. Additionally, the biofeedback from the Smokerlyzer® breath CO monitor has been proven to be the motivational help for the smoker to quit for good. Smoking is one of the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer. Each year in the US, the adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths.^1,2 In the In the UK, it is the cause of over a quarter (29%) of all deaths from cancer and has killed an estimated six million people over the last 50 years. Smoking can be attributed to 90% of all deaths from lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, showing that if everyone quit the habit, these types of death could be almost completely eradicated.

Carbon monoxide monitors offer health professionals and tobacco treatment specialists an independent clinical tool which provides valuable evidence in identifying, educating, assessing and treating tobacco-dependent patient.

Monitoring patients’ CO levels helps to work out their level of nicotine dependence: the more they smoke, the higher their reading will be, indicating a higher dependence on nicotine.

When tobacco smoke is inhaled into a smokers’ lungs, CO passes through the lining of the lung into the blood, where it becomes attached to the hemoglobin (Hb) – the oxygen carrier on red blood cells. These red blood cells normally carry oxygen, however, their chemical attraction to CO is greater than to oxygen (CO binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells about 200 times as readily as oxygen). So, any CO in the blood pushes out oxygen, forming Carboxyhemoglobin (%COHb), thus putting extra strain on the heart. The percentage of COHb is the proportion of red blood cells carrying CO instead of oxygen. If a smokers’ Smokerlyzer® reading is 5% (about 30 ppm), it means 5% of your red blood cells are carrying CO instead of oxygen. This creates a shortage of oxygen, and the body needs oxygen to live.

Every time a smoker smokes a cigarette an extra strain is put on their body. This extra strain on the smokers’ body will add up over time. Every time smokers get a test on the Smokerlyzer^®, they get to see the effects of your smoking habit on thier body – instantly and non-invasively. Remember that the Smokerlyzer^® is measuring one constituent of tobacco smoke – CO. However, if a smokers have CO from smoking in their body, it’s well documented that smokers will also have all of the

Heart: To compensate for the shortage of oxygen, the heart has to work harder (beat faster) to get enough oxygen to all parts of the body. The heart itself gets less oxygen, increasing the risk of heart damage.

Circulation: COHb causes the blood to thicken and the arteries to get coated with a thick, fatty substance. This causes circulation problems and high blood pressure, with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Hands and feet become colder as less blood circulates to the extremities.

Breathing: With any increase in physical activity, the reduced supply of oxygen leads to shortness of breath since there is no extra oxygen available for the increased demand. Decreased oxygen availability can also cause tiredness and lack of concentration.

Pregnancy: Availability of oxygen, necessary for healthy fetal growth, is reduced when the pregnant mother smokes. The risk of low birth weight and cleft palate birth defect are increased. After birth, the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is higher for babies exposed to tobacco smoke.

When you stop smoking the level of carbon monoxide in your blood falls almost immediately. It will be the same as a non-smoker’s within a couple of days. This is the first positive benefit that demonstrates your body is healing from some of the damage caused by smoking. Your blood will carry more oxygen. You’ll have more energy, better circulation and increased concentration.

The Smokerlyzer^® breath carbon monoxide (CO) test gives smokers the biofeedback necessary to connect the dots and provides the support to quit.