Table 1 Toxic effects of methanol, isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol
| Alcohol | Dermal absorption from use of ABHRs | Toxic metabolite | Toxic effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methanol | Can occur with toxic effects [15]. | Formic acid |
Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Central nervous system (CNS) depression Visual disturbance Increased osmolar gap with metabolic acidosis [19]. |
| Isopropyl alcohol | Can occur but not to toxic levels [20,21,22]. | Acetone |
Inebriation Gastrointestinal mucosal irritation (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, haematemesis) Profound CNS depression (headache, dizziness, stupor/coma) Increased osmolar gap but no metabolic acidosis [19]. |
| Ethanol | Can occur but not to toxic levels [21,22,23,24]. | Acetaldehyde |
Inebriation Gastrointestinal mucosal irritation (vomiting, haematemesis, diarrhoea) Hypoglycaemia CNS depression [25]. |
