Acute alcohol intoxication

Eur J Intern Med. 2008 Dec;19(8):561-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.06.033. Epub 2008 Apr 2.

Abstract

Acute alcohol intoxication is a clinically harmful condition that usually follows the ingestion of a large amount of alcohol. Clinical manifestations are heterogeneous and involve different organs and apparatuses, with behavioral, cardiac, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, neurological, and metabolic effects. The management of an intoxicated patient occurs mainly in the emergency department and is aimed at stabilizing the clinical condition of the patient, depending on his/her clinical presentation. One specific drug that is useful in the treatment of acute alcohol intoxication is metadoxine, which is able to accelerate ethanol excretion. In patients presenting an acute alcohol intoxication, alcohol-related disorders should be detected so that the patient can be directed to an alcohol treatment unit, where a personalized, specific treatment can be established.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Alcohol Deterrents / administration & dosage*
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / blood
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / complications
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / diagnosis*
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / drug therapy*
  • Ataxia / etiology
  • Coma / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Drug Combinations
  • Emergency Medical Services*
  • Ethanol / adverse effects
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Fluid Therapy
  • Gait
  • Humans
  • Impulsive Behavior / etiology
  • Memory Disorders / etiology
  • Mood Disorders / etiology
  • Pyridoxine / administration & dosage*
  • Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / administration & dosage*
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Stupor / etiology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Alcohol Deterrents
  • Drug Combinations
  • Ethanol
  • metadoxine
  • Pyridoxine
  • Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid