MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Ethylene glycol

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Ethylene glycol

Contents of this page:
Definition Where Found Symptoms Home Treatment	Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Definition

Poisoning caused by ingestion of ethylene glycol.

Where Found

Antifreeze

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

Body as a whole
Rapid breathing
Blue lips and fingernails
Nausea and/or vomiting
Heart and blood vessels
- Rapid heartbeat
- Low or high blood pressure
Nervous system
- Headache
- Slurred speech
- Unsteady gait
- Stupor
- Unconsciousness

Home Treatment

There is no home treatment. Use standard first-aid and CPR for signs of shock or cardiac arrest.

Contact your local emergency number (such as 911) or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) immediately.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
The time it was swallowed
The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The Poison Control or local emergency telephone representative will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. The national Poison Control hotline can be reached at 1-800-222-1222.

Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Use of gastric lavage
Administration of an antidote (ethanol or fomepizole)
Dialysis
Treatment of symptoms

Expectations (prognosis)

Death may occur within the first 24 hours. If patient survives, there may be little or no urine output for several weeks before the kidneys recover. Any brain damage may be permanent.

Update Date: 5/23/2003

Updated by: Todd Severson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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