Case presentation A 68-year-old man presented to a general hospital with complaints of breathlessness and lightheadedness. His medical history included obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and asthma, for which he regularly used a nighttime CPAP device. Prior to presentation, he had spent approximately two hours applying a rust remover (Paint-Over-Rust 15; POR-15) on his vehicle.
Although he wore his CPAP mask as a precaution against inhaling fumes, he later admitted that the valve might have been inadvertently left open. Initial examination The patient appeared well and clinically stable Oxygen saturation: 97% on 15 L via a non-rebreather mask Blood pressure: 135/87 mmHg Heart rate: 99 bpm Respiratory rate: 20 breaths/min Glasgow Coma Score: 15/15 Initial arterial blood gas analysis Severe type 1 respiratory failure Partial pressure of oxygen: 9.16 kPa (Reference: 11.0-14.4 kPa)…
