Management of potentially fatal alcohol intoxication

Severely alcohol intoxicated patients pass through all stages of anesthesia according to the Guedel classification. Additional illnesses or injuries might be present, however. These require careful investigation. Blood alcohol levels are no criterion for the degree of intoxication. The treatment varies and is based on clinical symptoms. In our series of more than 100 alcohol intoxicated patients the treatment generally consisted o Apomorphine, unless unconsciousness was present, and peripheral vasopressors, if necessary. Occasionally endotracheal intubation was required. On gastric aspiration via nasogastric tube only minimal amounts of alcohol could be recovered. With correct diagnosis and effective treatment the cure rate of acute alcohol intoxication should be as high as that of other intoxications.