The Proof is the Bottle

​An 18-year-old woman presented for altered mental status. EMS reported that she was at a beach party when she became unresponsive. Friends said she may have been drinking alcohol, but denied other illicit drug use. Initial vital signs included a blood pressure of 117/69 mm Hg, heart rate of 110 bpm, respiratory rate of 11 bpm, SPO2 99% on room air, and a temperature of 98.9°F. ​The patient was somnolent and reacted intermittently to physical stimuli on exam. She intermittently moved all four extremities. Her gag reflex was intact. Pupils were 4 mm bilaterally reactive without nystagmus. She had tachycardia, her lungs were clear, and her abdomen was soft and nontender. Pertinent labs findings included glucose of 98, serum ethanol of 200 mg/dL, and liver function tests within normal limits. Several hours later, her parents arrived in the ED. The patient was more awake and alert, and she reported that she had only drunk one glass of white wine.The estimated serum level of alcohol in a 70-kg adult after drinking a four-ounce (120 mL) glass of wine containing 12 percent alcohol is 43 mg/dL; one shot (30 mL) of 40 percent alcohol (80 proof) is 27 mg/dL; and a10-ounce (300 mL) bottle of beer containing five percent alcohol is 43 mg/dL. Calculating the Serum Ethanol ConcentrationThe estimated dose of alcohol should be calculated to determine the serum level. The concentration of alcohol may be found expressed in several terms: "% alcohol" by volume and historicall...
Source: The Tox Cave - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs