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Ethylene Glycol Intoxication
Alternate Names : Ethylene Glycol Poisoning, Intoxication - Ethylene Glycol
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Symptoms & Signs
The first effect of ethylene glycol ingestion is a sense of inebriation similar to the feeling caused by drinking alcohol (ethanol). Within a few hours, the toxic effects are evident, including: nausea, vomiting, convulsions, stupor, or even coma.
Many organs can be damaged by ethylene glycol toxicity, including: the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and muscles. As little as 120 ml (approximately 4 fluid ounces) of ethylene glycol may be enough to kill an average-sized man.
Ethylene glycol toxicity results when enzymes in the liver metabolize (break down) ethylene glycol into smaller compounds, which deposit in body tissue and cause damage.
These compounds also cause disturbances in the body's chemistry, including metabolic acidosis, which is a buildup of acids in the blood. The disturbances may be severe enough to cause profound shock, organ failure, and death.
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• Definition
• Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Symptoms & Signs
• Prevention
• Diagnosis & Tests
• Treatment
• Prognosis
• Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Metabolic Acidosis
Tests & Exams
• CBC
• CHEM-7
• Chest X-Ray
• Dialysis
• ECG
• Ethylene Glycol Test
• Osmolality
• Serum Ketones
• Toxicology Screen
• Urinalysis
Other Topics
• Shock
Review Date : 10/28/2003
Reviewed By : Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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