BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAntifreeze poisoningEngine coolant poisoningAntifreeze is a liquid used to cool engines. It is also called engine coolant. This article discusses poisoning caused by swallowing antifreeze.This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient The poisonous ingredients in antifreeze are:Ethylene glycol Methanol Propylene glycol Where Found The above ingredients are found in various antifreezes. They may also be used in other products. Symptoms Below are symptoms of antifreeze poisoning in different parts of the body. AIRWAYS AND LUNGSRapid breathing Rapid breathingHyperventilation is rapid and deep breathing. It is also called overbreathing, and it may leave you feeling breathless.Read Article Now Book Mark Article No breathingNo breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article BLADDER AND KIDNEYSBlood in urine Blood in urineBlood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No urine output or decreased urine output No urine outputDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blindness HEART AND BLOODRapid heartbeat Rapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure MUSCLES AND JOINTS Leg crampsLeg crampsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMComa ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Slurred speech Stupor (lack of alertness) StuporDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Unconsciousness UnconsciousnessUnconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Unsteady walk WeaknessWeaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKIN Blue lips and fingernailsBlue lips and fingernailsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTNausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make a person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.Use standard first aid and CPR for signs of shock or no heartbeat (cardiac arrest). Call your local poison control center or 911 for more help. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (as well as the ingredients, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. They will give you further instructions.Poison Help hotlineFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The person may receive:Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen, tube through the mouth into the throat, and breathing machine Chest x-ray CT scan of the head (computed tomography) ECG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing) Intravenous fluids (through a vein) Medicines to reverse the effects of the poison Tube placed down the nose and into the stomach (sometimes) Dialysis (kidney machine) treatment may be needed during recovery. This need may be permanent if kidney damage is severe. Outlook (Prognosis) For ethylene glycol: Death may occur within the first 24 hours. If the patient survives, there may be little or no urine output for several weeks before the kidneys recover. Kidney damage may be permanent. Any brain damage that occurs also may be permanent.For methanol: Methanol is extremely toxic. As little as 2 tablespoons (1 ounce or 30 milliliters) can kill a child, and 4 to 16 tablespoons (2 to 8 ounces or 60 to 240 milliliters) can be deadly for an adult. The outcome depends on how much was swallowed and how soon appropriate care was given. Vision loss or blindness may be permanentPermanent damage to the nervous system may occur. This can cause blindness, decreased mental functioning, and a condition similar to Parkinson disease.Keep all chemicals, cleaners, and industrial products in their original containers and marked as poison, and out of the reach of children. This will reduce the risk for poisoning and overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesNelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.Thomas SHL. Poisoning. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 10.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 4/1/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. 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Antifreeze poisoningEngine coolant poisoningAntifreeze is a liquid used to cool engines. It is also called engine coolant. This article discusses poisoning caused by swallowing antifreeze.This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient The poisonous ingredients in antifreeze are:Ethylene glycol Methanol Propylene glycol Where Found The above ingredients are found in various antifreezes. They may also be used in other products. Symptoms Below are symptoms of antifreeze poisoning in different parts of the body. AIRWAYS AND LUNGSRapid breathing Rapid breathingHyperventilation is rapid and deep breathing. It is also called overbreathing, and it may leave you feeling breathless.Read Article Now Book Mark Article No breathingNo breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article BLADDER AND KIDNEYSBlood in urine Blood in urineBlood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No urine output or decreased urine output No urine outputDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blindness HEART AND BLOODRapid heartbeat Rapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure MUSCLES AND JOINTS Leg crampsLeg crampsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMComa ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Slurred speech Stupor (lack of alertness) StuporDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Unconsciousness UnconsciousnessUnconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Unsteady walk WeaknessWeaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKIN Blue lips and fingernailsBlue lips and fingernailsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTNausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make a person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.Use standard first aid and CPR for signs of shock or no heartbeat (cardiac arrest). Call your local poison control center or 911 for more help. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (as well as the ingredients, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. They will give you further instructions.Poison Help hotlineFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The person may receive:Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen, tube through the mouth into the throat, and breathing machine Chest x-ray CT scan of the head (computed tomography) ECG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing) Intravenous fluids (through a vein) Medicines to reverse the effects of the poison Tube placed down the nose and into the stomach (sometimes) Dialysis (kidney machine) treatment may be needed during recovery. This need may be permanent if kidney damage is severe. Outlook (Prognosis) For ethylene glycol: Death may occur within the first 24 hours. If the patient survives, there may be little or no urine output for several weeks before the kidneys recover. Kidney damage may be permanent. Any brain damage that occurs also may be permanent.For methanol: Methanol is extremely toxic. As little as 2 tablespoons (1 ounce or 30 milliliters) can kill a child, and 4 to 16 tablespoons (2 to 8 ounces or 60 to 240 milliliters) can be deadly for an adult. The outcome depends on how much was swallowed and how soon appropriate care was given. Vision loss or blindness may be permanentPermanent damage to the nervous system may occur. This can cause blindness, decreased mental functioning, and a condition similar to Parkinson disease.Keep all chemicals, cleaners, and industrial products in their original containers and marked as poison, and out of the reach of children. This will reduce the risk for poisoning and overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesNelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.Thomas SHL. Poisoning. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 10.