Alcohol Short Essays
Question 1. Ethyl alcohol is used in methyl alcohol poisoning. Why?
Answer:
Methyl alcohol is converted to formaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase.
- This formaldehyde is converted to formic acid by alkaline dehydrogenase.
- Formic acid is the toxic metabolite of methyl alcohol which leads to.
- Vomiting, headache, vertigo, severe abdominal pain, hypotension, delirium, acidosis, and coma.
- To treat it ethyl alcohol-loading dose of 0.6 g/kg is given followed by an infusion of lOg/hour.
The action of ethyl alcohol:
- It competes with methyl alcohol for alcohol dehydrogenase as it has a high affinity for it
- Saturates the enzymes.
- Prevents the formation of toxic metabolites like formaldehyde and formic acid.
- Slows down the metabolism of methanol.
- Thus, methanol gets excreted unchanged in the urine.
Alcohol Short Question And Answers
Question 1. Ethyl alcohol/ethanol.
Answer:
Ethyl alcohol is monohydroxy alcohol manufactured by the fermentation of sugar.
- It is a colorless, volatile, inflammable liquid.
Ethyl alcohol/ethanol Used:
- As an antiseptic and disinfectant
- Counter-irritant for sprains, and joint pain.
- Prevent bedsores.
- Reduces body temperatures via sponges.
- Treats interactable neuralgia like trigeminal neuralgia.
- As appetite stimulant
- To treat methanol poisoning.
Question 2. Methyl alcohol/methanol.
Answer:
Methanol is a CNS depressant
- It is metabolized to formaldehyde and formic acid by alcohol and alkaline dehydrogenase.
- Methanol poisoning occurs mainly due to formic acid.
- It follows zero-order kinetics.
- The plasma half-life is 20 – 60 hours.
Read And Learn More: Pharmacology Question and Answers
Methyl alcohol/methanol Uses:
- To denatured ethyl alcohol.
- No therapeutic use.
Question 3. Methanol poisoning.
Answer:
Methanol poisoning occurs due to toxic metabolites of methanol.
Methanol poisoning Manifestations:
- Vomiting.
- Headache, vertigo, delirium.
- Severe abdominal pain, and hypotension.
- Acidosis coma.
- Retinal damage, blindness.
- Death due to respiratory failure.
Methanol poisoning Treatment:
- Protection of eyes from light
- Gastric lavage with sodium bicarbonate.
- IV sodium bicarbonate infusion to treat acidosis.
- Maintain ventilation and BP.
- Potassium chloride infusion to treat hypokalemia.
- Ethanol is used to reduce the generation of toxic metabolites.
- Hemodialysis is a severe case.
- Fomepizole is an antidote. It is an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase.
- Folate therapy. Calcium leucovorin injected repeatedly reduces blood formate levels.