Isopropanol alcohol poisoning

Isopropanol is a type of alcohol used in some household products, medicines, and cosmetics. It is not meant to be swallowed. Isopropanol poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance. This can be by accident or on purpose.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison 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

Isopropyl alcohol can be harmful if it is swallowed or gets in the eyes.

Where Found

These products contain isopropanol:

• Alcohol swabs
• Cleaning supplies
• Paint thinners
• Perfumes
• Rubbing alcohol

Other products may also contain isopropanol.

Symptoms

Symptoms of an isopropanol poisoning include:

• Acting or feeling drunk
• Slurred speech
• Stupor
• Uncoordinated movement

  Uncoordinated movement

  Uncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)

  Coma

  Decreased alertness is the most severe state of reduced awareness and is a serious condition. A coma is a state of decreased alertness from which a p...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Unconsciousness
• Unpaired movements of the eyes
• Throat pain
• Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Burns and damage to the clear covering of the front of the eye (cornea)
• Dizziness

  Dizziness

  Dizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Headache
• Low body temperature

  Low body temperature

  Hypothermia is dangerously low body temperature, below 95°F (35°C).

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Low blood pressure

  Low blood pressure

  Low blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body do not get enough ...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Low blood sugar

  Low blood sugar

  Low blood sugar is a condition that occurs when the body's blood sugar (glucose) decreases and is too low. Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL (3. 9 mmol/L) i...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Nausea and vomiting (may contain blood)

  Nausea

  Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up is forcing the contents of the stomach ...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article

  Vomiting

  Vomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...

  Read Article Now Book Mark Article
• Rapid heart rate
• Skin redness and pain
• Slowed breathing

  Slowed breathing

  Most 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
• Urination problems (too much or too little urine)

Home Care

Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the isopropanol is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the isopropanol was swallowed, give the person water or milk right away, unless a provider tells you not to. DO NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, seizures, or a decreased level of alertness. If the person breathed in the isopropanol, move them to fresh air right away.

Before Calling Emergency

Have this information ready:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients and strength, 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. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

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 to the hospital with you, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

Tests that may done include:

• Blood and urine tests
• Chest x-ray
• ECG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing)

• Fluids through a vein (by IV)
• Tube through the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach, if the person took more than one swallow and arrives within 30 to 60 minutes after swallowing it (especially in children)
• Dialysis (kidney machine ) (in very rare cases)
  
• Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
  
  

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well someone does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster someone gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Drinking isopropanol will most likely make you very drunk. Recovery is very likely if a person does not swallow a large amount.

However, drinking large amounts can lead to:

• Coma and possibly brain damage
• Internal bleeding
• Breathing difficulty
• Kidney failure

It is dangerous to give a child a sponge bath with isopropanol to reduce a fever. Isopropanol is absorbed through the skin, so it can make children very sick.