Carbon monoxide is so deadly because hemoglobin has a higer binding affinity for it than it does for oxygen. In the presence of both, hemoglobin binds to the carbon monoxide. This affects rates of alveolar ventilation and perfusion. Thr higher the concentration of carbon in the body, the lower the PH, the less O2 taken up by hemoglobin. As a result, oxygen cannot be transported to body tissues efficiently.
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