PHAR415- Ethanol Poisoning by Abdelali Agouni https://padlet.com/aagouni78/hgyfxfoe9gtu Made with whimsy en-us 2017-12-11 07:23:45 UTC 2025-10-10 00:38:11 UTC hello@padlet.com Ethanol Toxicity https://padlet.com/aagouni78/hgyfxfoe9gtu/wish/412313313
  • Principal effect of acute intoxication:
    • CNS depression
  • Why are children and poorly nourished persons more susceptible to toxicity?
    • Because alcohol inhibits gluconeogenesis and these people have depleted glycogen stores, they are more susceptible to hypoglycemia.
  • What is the toxic dose of ethanol?
    • Generally, 0.7 g/kg of pure ethanol (approximately 3–4 drinks) will produce a blood ethanol concentration of 100 mg/dL. A level of 100 mg/dL decreases reaction time and judgment and may be enough to inhibit gluconeogenesis and cause hypoglycemia in children and patients with liver disease, but by itself it is not enough to cause coma. The level sufficient to cause deep coma or respiratory depression is highly variable, depending on the individual's degree of tolerance to ethanol. Although levels above 300 mg/dL usually cause coma in novice drinkers, persons with chronic alcoholism may be awake with levels of 500–600 mg/dL or higher.
  • What are the clinical manifestations of acute toxicity?
    • With mild to moderate intoxication, patients exhibit euphoria, mild incoordination, ataxia, nystagmus, and impaired judgment and reflexes. Social inhibitions are loosened, and boisterous or aggressive behavior is common. Hypoglycemia may occur, especially in children and persons with reduced hepatic glycogen stores. 2.
    • With deep intoxication, coma, respiratory depression, and pulmonary aspiration may occur. In these patients, the pupils are usually small, and the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate are often decreased. Rhabdomyolysis may result from prolonged immobility.
  • Does the patient in the case have mild or deep acute intoxication?
    •  
    • The patient presents with absent pulse, hypothermia, and lack of breathing and these are manifestations of deep intoxication

    6. Is the toxicity on the liver usually observed after acute or chronic exposure to ethanol?
    Toxicity on the liver is seen after chronic exposure to ethanol. 

    7. What are Mallory-Weiss tears?
    Tears of the esophagus and esophageal varices which can lead to massive bleeding 

    8. Cite the symptoms that may be observed when a person decides to suddenly stop drinking alcohol after chronic alcohol use.
    After chronic ingestion the patient will undergo withdrawal symptoms that cause headache, tremulosness, anxiety and insomnia. The sympathetic system overactivity may progress to delirium tremens which is a life threatening syndrome characterized by tachycardia, diaphoresis, hyperthermia and delirium and manifests within 48 to 72 hours after cessation. 


    9. How are alcohol withdrawal symptoms treated?
    Administration of IV diazepam or phenobarbital 

    10. The treatment of alcohol acute intoxication is mainly supportive. In addition to protecting the airways and correcting the hypoglycemia and hypothermia, is there any specific antidote to be used in this case?
    There is no specific antidote however there has been anecdotal use of naloxone in acute intoxication 

    11. Which method of decontamination may be useful in ethanol intoxication
    cases?
    Ethanol is rapidly absorbed and so gastric decontamination may not be indicated. The gastric content can be aspirated if it was massive and recent ingestion. 



    ]]>     2019-11-17 08:19:18 UTC https://padlet.com/aagouni78/hgyfxfoe9gtu/wish/412313313     Ethanol https://padlet.com/aagouni78/hgyfxfoe9gtu/wish/412313622
    1. With deep intoxication, coma, respiratory depression, and pulmonary aspiration may occur. In these patients, the pupils are usually small, and the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate are often decreased. Rhabdomyolysis may result from prolonged immobility
    2. Hypoglycemia may be caused by impaired gluconeogenesis in patients with depleted or low glycogen stores (particularly small children and poorly nourished persons).
    3. Generally, 0.7 g/kg of pure ethanol (approximately 3–4 drinks) will produce a blood ethanol concentration of 100 mg/dL (0.1 g/dL). The legal limit for intoxication varies by state, with a range of 0.08–0.1 g/dL.
    4. With mild to moderate intoxication, patients exhibit euphoria, mild incoordination, ataxia, nystagmus, and impaired judgment and reflexes. Social inhibitions are loosened, and boisterous or aggressive behavior is common. Hypoglycemia may occur, especially in children and persons with reduced hepatic glycogen stores.
    ]]>     2019-11-17 08:21:59 UTC https://padlet.com/aagouni78/hgyfxfoe9gtu/wish/412313622