Management overview for ethanol intoxication

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is widely available in alcoholic beverages, but is also found in household products, such as perfumes, colognes, mouthwashes, hand sanitisers, detergents and methylated spirits. It is also found in food products, such as vanilla extract.

Ethanol intoxication causes rapid-onset, dose-related central nervous system (CNS) depression. Large ingestions can be fatal, with death usually due to aspiration of vomitus, or respiratory depression. Ethanol is a common co-ingestant in deliberate self-poisonings and toxicity is potentiated with co-ingestion of other substances that cause CNS depression.

Children are especially susceptible to ethanol intoxication and even accidental ingestions of ethanol-containing products can cause CNS depression in a child.

Ethanol intoxication may cause hypoglycaemia; children and malnourished patients with ethanol-dependence are at particular risk.

Management of ethanol intoxication is primarily supportive care directed at symptoms. A full recovery is expected, but deaths have been reported due to delayed treatment or from trauma associated with intoxication (mainly motor vehicle accidents or drowning).

Haemodialysis should be considered only for life-threatening intoxications.