An Iowa couple and their two children who were found dead inside their rented Mexico condo had inhaled toxic gas, according to the Washington Post. In the United States, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning – or gas asphyxiation – accounts for hundreds of deaths and thousands of emergency department visits. According to the New York State Department of Health, CO poisoning limits the body’s ability to absorb oxygen ultimately resulting in asphyxiation. “As more CO is breathed in, more CO attaches to hemoglobin and less oxygen can be delivered throughout the body. This lack of oxygen results in the symptoms associated with CO poisoning.”

Source: Forbes March 25, 2018 20:26 UTC