From the FDA Drug Label
Treatment Guidelines: If ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning is left untreated, the natural progression of the poisoning leads to accumulation of toxic metabolites, including glycolic and oxalic acids (ethylene glycol intoxication) and formic acid (methanol intoxication) These metabolites can induce metabolic acidosis, nausea/vomiting, seizures, stupor, coma, calcium oxaluria, acute tubular necrosis, blindness, and death.
Drinking methanol can lead to severe health consequences, including:
- Metabolic acidosis
- Nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Stupor
- Coma
- Calcium oxaluria
- Acute tubular necrosis
- Blindness
- Death Treatment with fomepizole injection and hemodialysis may be necessary to remove methanol and its toxic metabolites from the body 1.
From the Research
Drinking methanol is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal, and immediate emergency medical attention is required if ingestion occurs. Methanol poisoning can cause blindness, severe metabolic acidosis, brain damage, and death due to its conversion to formaldehyde and formic acid in the body 2. Treatment should include fomepizole (15 mg/kg loading dose followed by 10 mg/kg every 12 hours) or ethanol administration to block methanol metabolism, along with hemodialysis to remove methanol from the bloodstream. According to the most recent study 2, methanol-poisoned patients on fomepizole treatment may be separated into two categories: critically ill patients who require immediate hemodialysis, and stable patients who may be treated with fomepizole and bicarbonate, with delayed or no hemodialysis. Key symptoms of methanol poisoning include blurred vision, breathlessness, nausea, gastric pains, and acid-base disturbances, and can develop into permanent blindness and other severe health issues if left untreated 2.
Some key points to consider in the treatment of methanol poisoning include:
- The importance of prompt medical attention and treatment with fomepizole or ethanol to prevent further methanol metabolism 3, 2
- The use of hemodialysis to remove methanol and formate from the bloodstream, particularly in critically ill patients 3, 4
- The potential for delayed or no hemodialysis in stable patients treated with fomepizole and bicarbonate 3, 2
- The need for careful monitoring and management of metabolic acidosis and other complications of methanol poisoning 5, 6
Overall, the treatment of methanol poisoning requires a comprehensive and individualized approach, taking into account the severity of the poisoning, the patient's overall health, and the availability of medical resources 2.