Alcoholic metabolic emergencies

Abstract

Ethanol intoxication and ethanol use are associated with a variety of metabolic derangements encountered in the Emergency Department. In this article, the authors discuss alcohol intoxication and its treatment, dispel the myth that alcohol intoxication is associated with hypoglycemia, comment on electrolyte derangements and their management, review alcoholic ketoacidosis, and end with a section on alcoholic encephalopathy.

Keywords: Alcohol encephalopathy; Alcoholic ketoacidosis; Beer potomania; Ethanol intoxication; Korsakoff syndrome; Wernicke encephalopathy.