Ethylene Glycol, Methanol, Propylene Glycol, and Isopropyl Alcohol Ingestion

First Things First (assess & treat for the following)

  • Diagnosis & early treatment require a high index of suspicion with the proper setting even w/o supporting lab data.
    • Obtundation & increased anion or osmolal gap: think of the toxic alcohol ingestions.
  • Highest priority is maintenance of the ABCs.
  • Then detoxification/elimination:
    • Charcoal is not helpful.
    • Lavage only if within 1 hour of recent large-volume ingestion
  • Then correct metabolic abnormalities
    • Goal is to prevent development of toxic metabolites
    • OG = (2 x Na) + BUN/2.8 + Glucose/18 + EtOH/4.6
      • Normal OG is 12 +/- 2
    • AG = Na - Cl + HCO3
      • Normal AG is 12 +/- 4

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Last updated: April 16, 2010