Ethanol toxicity
Revision as of 12:57, 1 June 2015 by Rossdonaldson1 (talk | contribs)
Background
- AMS that doesn't improve after few hrs is due to alternative cause until proven otherwise
- Blood Alcohol Level
- Correlates poorly with degree of intoxication
- Rate of ETOH elimination is 15-30mg/dL/hr (depending on degree of chronic alcoholism)
Clinical Features
- Classic Features
- Slurred speech
- Nystagmus
- Ataxia
- N/V
- Respiratory depression
- Coma
- Other Features (if malnourished)
- Hypoglycemia
- Ketoacidosis
- Lactic acidosis
- Epigastric pain (pancreatitis)
Differential Diagnosis
Sedative/hypnotic toxicity
- Absinthe
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Chloral hydrate
- Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
- Baclofen toxicity
- Opioids
- Toxic alcohols
- Xylazine toxicity
Diagnosis
- Blood sugar
- BAL
- Appropriate if AMS is due to unknown cause
- Not necessarily required in mild-mod intoxication or if no other abnormality suspected
- Elevated osmolar gap
Treatment
- GI decontamination
- Activated charcoal ineffective (ETOH is too rapidly absorbed)
- Hypoglycemia
- Give glucose immediately (do not have to wait to give thiamine first)
- "Banana Bag"
- IV form is not justified
- Likelihood of vitamin deficiency (except for thiamine) is low
- IVF does not hasten ETOH elimination
Disposition
- Most pts require observation only
- Can be discharged once patient at baseline mental status, able to tolerate PO, and road test successful