WHAT IS Ethanol AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Ethanol is used in the management of toxicity due to ingestion of methanol, or ethylene glycol.
Ethanol is available under the following different brand and other names: alcohol (ethyl).
DOSAGES OF Ethanol
Adult and Pediatric Dosage Forms and Ethanol Strengths
1 mL
5 mL
Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows:
Methanol Toxicity, Ethanol Poisoning (Off-label)
Adult
Loading dose
600 mg/kg intravenous (IV) (i.e., 7.6 mL/kg of 10% EtOH solution)
600-700 mg/kg oral/nasogastric (NG) using a 95% solution diluted to 20% or less with water or juice
Maintenance dose
65-155 mg/kg/hour depending on alcohol consumption status (lower for nondrinker)
Oral maintenance = 0.15 mL/kg/hour (IV = 1.4 mL/kg/hour) 10% Ethanol
Chronic alcoholics and hemodialysis patients need increased dose; increased maintenance by 50%; non-users may need less
Maintain serum Ethanol of 100-150 mg/dL [21.7-32.55 mmol/L]
Pediatric
Reduce Ethanol loading dose if methanol or ethylene glycol ingested with alcohol
May need to increase Ethanol maintenance dose in patients with chronic alcohol consumption
Loading dose (oral)
95% EtOH: 0.8-1 mL/kg
40% EtOH (80 proof undiluted liquor): 2 mL/kg
43% EtOH (86 proof undiluted liquor): 1.8 mL/kg
Maintenance dose (oral)
43% EtOH: 0.1 mL/kg/hour
95% EtOH: 0.1 mL/kg/hour
Intravenous (IV) dose (10% EtOH)
10% EtOH = 7.9 g/dL
Loading: 8-10 mL/kg IV; not to exceed 200 mL
Maintenance: 0.83 mL/kg/hour intravenous (IV)
10% EtOH = 7.9 g/dL
40% EtOH (80 proof undiluted liquor) = 31.6 g/dL
43% EtOH (86% proof undiluted liquor) = 34 g/dL
95% EtOH (absolute alcohol) = 75 g/dL
Continue maintenance dose until methanol or ethylene glycol levels are below 10 mg/dL
