Final answer:
Methanol poisoning causes symptoms such as nausea and headache, and severe cases can lead to blindness and organ damage. Treatment includes intravenous ethanol administration and possibly fomepizole to inhibit toxic metabolite formation and support measures to manage acidosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Methanol Poisoning Signs/Symptoms and Treatment
Methanol poisoning presents with symptoms such as nausea, headache, dizziness, and can lead to severe complications like blindness and organ damage. Its metabolism in the body produces methanal which is highly toxic. Alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme responsible for metabolizing alcohols, preferentially binds to ethanol over methanol. Therefore, in the case of methanol poisoning, ethanol therapy is employed to prevent the formation of toxic methanal, allowing methanol to pass through the body unmetabolized until it is excreted. Symptoms of poisoning may take 12 to 36 hours to appear and can include metabolic acidosis due to the accumulation of toxic metabolites.Management of Methanol Poisoning
For the treatment of methanol poisoning, ethanol is administered intravenously to compete with methanol for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. This approach allows methanol to be excreted in the urine before it can convert to methanal. In acute cases, antidotes such as fomepizole may also be used to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase directly, reducing the metabolism of methanol to its toxic byproducts. Supportive care and correction of metabolic acidosis with bicarbonate or dialysis may also be necessary depending on the severity of the intoxication.
In summary, prompt recognition and treatment of methanol poisoning are critical to prevent serious complications.