An intravenous infusion of ethanol can be used to treat a patient with methanol poisoning if fomepizole is not available. The ethanol solution usually needs to be prepared from stock solutions.
Target ethanol concentration: 10% volume/volume
This may not be commercially available and so a solution must be prepared.
Available solutions may be:
(1) D5A5: 5% ethanol and 5% dextrose in water
(2) D5W: 5% dextrose in water
(3) 95% ethanol (190 proof)
(4) near 100% ethanol (200 proof)
To make a 10% infusion solution, then a certain volume of fluid must be removed from each liter of infusate and replaced with the stock alcohol solution according to the following table..
Stock Alcohol
D5W
D5A5
95%
105 mL
56 mL
100%
101 mL
53 mL
Solution requirements:
(1) Ethanol containing a denaturant should not be used for intravenous infusion.
(2) Ethanol should be as pure as possible.
(3) The ethanol should be passed through a submicron filter before being diluted.
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