All patients suspected of having inhaled potentially toxic gases should be given which treatment until hospital arrival?

Patients suspected of having inhaled potentially toxic gases require high doses of oxygen as a critical intervention even before reaching the hospital. The rationale behind administering high dose oxygen stems from its effectiveness in displacing harmful gases from the bloodstream and improving tissue oxygenation. Inhalation of toxic gases can lead to hypoxia, where the body's tissues do not receive enough oxygen; therefore, providing a higher concentration of oxygen helps counteract this deficiency.

High flow or high dose oxygen can also assist in the treatment of specific toxicities, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, where it can help facilitate the elimination of carbon monoxide from hemoglobin. This enhances the delivery of oxygen to vital organs, which is particularly important in emergency situations where time is essential for patient outcomes.

While standard supplemental oxygen would provide some benefit, it may not be sufficient for effectively treating severe cases of toxicity or when there is a significant risk of hypoxia. Other options, such as CPR and airway suctioning, address specific interventions but do not directly counteract the toxic effects of inhaled gases in a timely manner like high dose oxygen does.