title: Librium for bed 1, a bottle of scotch for bed 2.
abstract: A 47-year-old ex-nurse presented to the emergency department having consumed an unknown quantity of antifreeze. She was found to have a high level of ethylene glycol (the toxic component of antifreeze) in her bloodstream. Treatment is with either fomepizole or ethanol. She was treated with a loading dose of 2.5 mL/kg followed by 0.58 mL/kg/h of oral ethanol, equating to a maintenance dose of 35 mL of whisky every hour. She was placed on the gastroenterology ward next to two alcoholics recovering from acute withdrawal. It is important to appreciate the potential difficulties posed by scenarios of this type in order to provide optimum care both for the patient and those situated on the ward in the immediate vicinity. There is a requirement to compare the efficacies of fomepizole and ethanol therapy in the UK in order for a decision to be made on the most cost-effective first-line treatment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welman
authors.forename: Jan Man
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Vay
authors.forename: Pairaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kader
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D000431:Ethanol; D019855:Ethylene Glycol