A patient suffering from methanol poisoning, currently being treated at the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, has a fatal prognosis.
Brain scans revealed a large brain hemorrhage, a complication of methanol poisoning. Doctors predicted the patient had a high risk of death.
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| As the year draws to a close, concerns about alcohol poisoning resurface. (Illustrative image) |
Information from the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital indicates that the hospital has frequently received cases of ethanol and methanol poisoning, or alcohol-related illnesses such as acute pancreatitis and gastrointestinal bleeding. Specifically at the Poison Control Center, there have been cases of severe methanol poisoning from alcohol, with a high risk of death.
A typical example is the case of patient NQC (male, 28 years old, from Nam Dinh ), with a history of gastritis, admitted to the hospital on December 30, 2024.
According to the patient NQC's family, two days before being admitted to the hospital, the patient drank alcohol with several colleagues in Hanoi . After drinking, the patient felt very tired, but still went to his wife's hometown in Phu Xuyen, Hanoi to visit. The patient felt increasingly tired.
Three hours before admission, the patient suddenly experienced shortness of breath, without chest pain, and was taken by family members to a hospital in Phu Xuyen for oxygen therapy. However, the patient's shortness of breath worsened, and their consciousness became impaired. The patient was intubated and then transferred to the Emergency Center of Bach Mai Hospital.
Regarding alcohol poisoning, earlier on the afternoon of December 19, 2024, in Long Bien district (Hanoi), a serious food poisoning incident occurred, resulting in two deaths and many others being hospitalized for emergency treatment.
Of the 20 hospitalized patients, 14 suffered from septic shock, toxic acidosis, and hyperlactate metabolic acidosis. Authorities determined the cause was acetonitrile poisoning from the white liquor consumed by those at the party.
Next, on December 22, 2024, Vung Tau Hospital admitted four patients suspected of methanol poisoning. One of these patients was in a coma. This is a prime example of the harm caused by consuming alcohol of unknown origin, often containing industrial methanol, an extremely dangerous substance.
According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center (Bach Mai Hospital), alcohol abuse or consuming alcohol containing methanol (industrial alcohol) can have very serious consequences, even death.
Alcoholic beverages of unknown origin, especially homemade liquor, are often mixed with industrial methanol to increase alcohol content and reduce production costs. When methanol enters the body, it is metabolized into formic acid and formaldehyde, causing serious damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system, and can lead to blindness or death.
To minimize the risk of alcohol poisoning, especially during holidays, everyone needs to pay attention to some basic principles. It is recommended that people drink alcohol in moderation and not exceed the permitted limit to reduce the risk of alcohol poisoning.
One important rule is not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Drinking before eating allows the body to absorb alcohol quickly, increasing the risk of intoxication.
Additionally, if you feel intoxicated or experience symptoms such as dizziness or nausea, you should immediately stop drinking alcohol and switch to water or non-alcoholic beverages to allow your body to recover.
When choosing alcohol, ensure you only buy it from reputable stores or establishments with clear origins. Avoid buying alcohol of unknown origin, especially counterfeit or low-quality alcohol, as it may contain harmful substances such as methanol. Be sure to check the label and expiration date of the alcohol to avoid consuming expired products.
Furthermore, it is crucial to avoid combining alcohol with other harmful substances. Alcohol can interact with certain medications, leading to dangerous reactions and affecting the liver, kidneys, and digestive system.
In particular, alcohol should be avoided with unsafe foods, such as raw seafood or undercooked meat, as this can make the body more susceptible to bacterial infections or food poisoning.
According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, during the year-end period, people should consume alcohol at the lowest possible risk level per drinking session, drinking slowly, combining it with food, and alternating with water.
In particular, according to experts, family members need to carefully monitor those who are intoxicated. If the person is still conscious, they should be given foods containing sugar and starch such as rice, corn, potatoes, cassava, milk, sugary fruit juice, broth, or thin porridge to provide energy, otherwise they may easily suffer from hypoglycemia. At the same time, the family needs to pay attention to any severe symptoms in their loved one so that they can be taken to the emergency room promptly.
For example, if someone ingests methanol, they will experience headaches, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, vision loss, and coma. These symptoms usually don't occur immediately during the drinking session; most patients become critical after one day. Without timely hospitalization and treatment, the risk of death is very high, and those who survive may face neurological and visual sequelae.
There are severe cases where, even if the patient is saved, treatment is very difficult. In addition to mechanical ventilation, patients require continuous hemodialysis along with solutions to remove toxins, and the treatment costs can amount to hundreds of millions of VND.
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