Health Care Encyclopedia
| |
Methanol overdoseDefinition: Poisoning from an overdose of methanol.
Poisonous Ingredient: Methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol)
Where Found: - Antifreeze
- Paint remover or thinner
- Shellac
- Varnish
- Canned heating sources
- Windshield wiper fluid
- De-icing fluid
- Glass cleaners
Note: This list may not be all inclusive.
Home Treatment: Methanol is highly toxic, and you must seek medical care at your nearest emergency room for any ingestion. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.
Before Calling Emergency: Determine the following information: - The patient's age, weight, and condition
- The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
- When it was swallowed
- The amount swallowed
Poison Control, or a local emergency number: Local emergency or Poison Control personnel will advise you if it is necessary to take the person to the hospital. See poison control centers for the national telephone number. Take any containers with you to the emergency room.
What to expect at the emergency room: Some or all of the following procedures may be performed: - Supporting breathing
- Pumping the stomach (gastric lavage)
- Giving an antidote (fomepizole or ethanol)
- Giving other medications (folinic acid, bicarbonate)
- Treating the symptoms
- Dialysis
Expectations (prognosis): Methanol is extremely toxic. As little as 2 TABLEspoonsful can be fatal to a child, and 2 to 8 oz. can be fatal for an adult. The ultimate outcome depends on how much was swallowed and how soon appropriate care was given.
|
| Review Date: 2/15/2005
Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone, M.D., Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
|
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
|  |
|
|
|
|
