Ethanol is “antidote” in case of methanol poisoning; Understand the treatment

The doctor explains that the treatment should only be done in a hospital and it is not a question of drinking alcohol

Recent cases of methanol poisoning in San Paolo and hospitalization of Hungary in Brasilia have attracted attention to a type of treatment that may seem unusual: the controlled application of ethanol to patients in a hospital environment. The method, which has already saved many lives, is used in emergency situations to prevent methanol from causing even greater damage to the body, but does not consist of eating alcohol.

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According to the clinical doctor and the general surgeon Marcelo Bechara, specialist in preventive medicine and hormoneology, the methanol itself is not a direct poison. “But when it arrives to the liver, it becomes an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase in formic acid, and this causes serious intoxication, leading to blindness, renal failure and even death,” he explains.

“Hitanol comes into play in play with methanol in this same enzyme. While the enzyme prefers to metabolize the ethanol, the methanol is laterally and ends up being eliminated without becoming a dangerous toxin,” he explains.

The most modern antidote is considered the international standard is hunger, a safer intravenous drug and easily management. However, since medicine is not widely available in Brazil, ethanol is still the most used characteristic to be cheaper and equally effective. “He acts like a competitive antidote. Instead of letting the methanol turns into the poison, he first occupies the metabolic path and protects the body,” says Bechara.

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Treatment should be done in a hospital environment

Despite its effectiveness, experts underline that the procedure should be performed only in a hospital environment, with constant monitoring. This is because the dosage must be accurately calculated and the ethanol used is pure, without the impurities present in normal alcoholic beverages. “We cannot get to the patient and drink alcohol to take to eliminate toxicity,” Becara warns.

In more serious cases, the treatment can also include hemodialysis, to quickly remove methanol and its blood metabolites, as well as the administration of vitamins such as folic or folinic acid, which help to accelerate the elimination of formic acid. “Treatment is always a series of measures: ethanol or hunger, correction of acidosis, vitamins and, when indicated, dialysis”, adds the doctor.

Symptoms require attention

The progress of drinking tampering has rekindled the notice of the health authorities. Unlike the postmates of a common hangover, the symptoms of methanol poisoning usually appear from 12 to 24 hours after consumption. Among the signs there are the blurred vision, intense abdominal pain, mental confusion, nausea and, in the most serious cases, irreversible blindness.

For experts, any suspicion should be treated as a medical emergency. “If after 12 hours the person still has signs of drunkenness, visual changes or mental confusion, not only should he attribute the posthums of a hangover. It is essential to immediately look for an emergency room,” says the endocrinologist Ramon Marcelino of the USP Das Clínicas hospital.

The recommendation of the authorities is to maximize the consumption of alcohol until cases are controlled. For those who still choose to consume, the guide is to avoid drinks of dubious origin, in particular sold on roads and parties without inspection, and priority to the sealed products purchased in establishments with health registration.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.