Alcohols and glycols poisoning

Ethanol intoxication is widely encountered and can cause coma, hypotension, hypoglycaemia and acid–base disturbances. Isopropyl alcohol and its metabolite acetone cause profound depression of the central nervous system with rapid onset. Toxic alcohols include methanol, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol; these cause severe metabolic acidosis, acute renal failure and, for methanol, severe visual disturbance. Toxicity is attributable to metabolites rather than the alcohol or glycol, and there is a characteristic delay between ingestion and severe toxicity.