- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Part 15.1 Principles of management
- Part 15.2 Management of specific poisons
- Chapter 317 Management of salicylate poisoning
- Chapter 318 Management of acetaminophen (paracetamol) poisoning
- Chapter 319 Management of opioid poisoning
- Chapter 320 Management of benzodiazepine poisoning
- Chapter 321 Management of tricyclic antidepressant poisoning
- Chapter 322 Management of poisoning by amphetamine or ecstasy
- Chapter 323 Management of digoxin poisoning
- Chapter 324 Management of cocaine poisoning
- Chapter 325 Management of β-blocker and calcium channel blocker poisoning
- Chapter 326 Management of cyanide poisoning
- Chapter 327 Management of alcohol poisoning
- Chapter 328 Management of carbon monoxide poisoning
- Chapter 329 Management of corrosive poisoning
- Chapter 330 Management of pesticide and agricultural chemical poisoning
- Chapter 331 Management of radiation poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 1556) Management of alcohol poisoning
- Chapter:
- (p. 1556) Management of alcohol poisoning
- Author(s):
Knut Erik Hovda
and Dag Jacobsen
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0327
Ethyl alcohol poisoning is by far the most common alcohol poisoning, and it can usually be handled by simple symptomatic treatment. Methanol and ethylene glycol poisonings share many characteristics, often presenting with a metabolic acidosis of unknown origin. Obtaining the diagnosis could be difficult, and assays for the toxic alcohol are seldom available at hand. The diagnosis should thus be supported by the use of the anion- and osmolal gaps, and/or a simple and specific formate enzymatic method measuring the toxic metabolite itself. A delayed diagnosis of poisonings will often have fatal consequences, in spite of effective treatment available. Treatment mainly consists of buffer, antidote, haemodialysis, and folinic acid (if methanol is suspected) in addition to supportive care. The long-term prognosis of cerebral (unless hypoxic damage)—and kidney function in ethylene glycol poisonings - is good given adequate treatment. Diethylene glycol is also highly toxic, but the knowledge on toxicity is limited. We recommend treatment similar to ethylene glycol poisonings. Other alcohol poisonings are less severe, and will usually present without pronounced metabolic acidosis.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Part 15.1 Principles of management
- Part 15.2 Management of specific poisons
- Chapter 317 Management of salicylate poisoning
- Chapter 318 Management of acetaminophen (paracetamol) poisoning
- Chapter 319 Management of opioid poisoning
- Chapter 320 Management of benzodiazepine poisoning
- Chapter 321 Management of tricyclic antidepressant poisoning
- Chapter 322 Management of poisoning by amphetamine or ecstasy
- Chapter 323 Management of digoxin poisoning
- Chapter 324 Management of cocaine poisoning
- Chapter 325 Management of β-blocker and calcium channel blocker poisoning
- Chapter 326 Management of cyanide poisoning
- Chapter 327 Management of alcohol poisoning
- Chapter 328 Management of carbon monoxide poisoning
- Chapter 329 Management of corrosive poisoning
- Chapter 330 Management of pesticide and agricultural chemical poisoning
- Chapter 331 Management of radiation poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care