Methanol poisoning

Methanol is a type of alcohol not suitable for drinking, generally used for industrial (solvents) and automotive (antifreeze) purposes. Once ingested, this alcohol enters the bloodstream and is slowly broken down by the liver. The most common causes of poisoning are accidental ingestion or attempted suicide. Clinically speaking, it passes through three phases (1) weakness, dizziness and nausea, 2) vomiting, abdominal pain, disorientation, and visual disturbances and 3) neuronal damage, seizures, coma, hypotension and difficulty breathing). Diagnosis is established by taking the medical history and performing a physical examination, blood and urine tests and an electrocardiogram. Treatment involves manipulation of the airway, ventilation and stabilization of the circulation, monitoring acidaemia (administering sodium bicarbonate), administering alcohol (fomepizole) and starting extrarenal purification.