It may be lurking around you! Beware of fake alcohol that can harm people

Mr. Wang usually likes to drink and has a few cups every day, but this time he never expected that drinking would cause such big trouble.

On that day, Mr. Wang was taken to the emergency room by his family because of sudden loss of consciousness, incoherent speech, blurred vision and difficulty breathing .

The emergency doctor conducted a blood gas analysis after receiving the patient, and the results showed severe metabolic acidosis. The doctor asked Mr. Wang about his living habits and learned that he usually liked to drink a little wine.

The doctor immediately asked Mr. Wang about the sources of his usual alcohol. Some of the alcohol he drank was purchased from the convenience store, and some was given to him by relatives and friends. He also drank with friends in his hometown two days before coming to Beijing.

The patient was sent for toxicology testing immediately and a clear diagnosis was made. The reason why Mr. Wang was sent to the emergency room was - " methanol poisoning "!

After the emergency doctor immediately arranged a series of treatments including bedside blood purification, Mr. Wang was finally out of danger. However, it is very regrettable that Mr. Wang's eyesight suffered irreversible damage.

Why does methanol poisoning occur ?

Methanol poisoning comes from fake liquor. There are two types of fake liquor. One is the fake famous liquor sold by small distilleries, and the other is the liquor blended with industrial alcohol, which contains methanol.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a colorless, transparent, flammable liquid that is easily volatile and has a similar odor to ethanol. It is often used as a chemical additive and can be absorbed through the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and skin, causing poisoning. Methanol poisoning in daily life is often caused by accidentally taking fake or low-quality alcohol.

What are the clinical manifestations of methanol poisoning ?

Methanol poisoning has a certain incubation period, usually 8-36 hours, and the incubation period can be longer for people who drink alcohol on a regular basis. Oral poisoning varies greatly from person to person, and generally 5-10 ml can cause severe poisoning, and as little as 7-8 ml can cause blindness, with a lethal dose of about 30 ml.

The main clinical manifestations are central nervous system damage, eye damage and metabolic acidosis. Mr. Wang's nonsense and incoherent speech are manifestations of central nervous system damage caused by poisoning.

Prominent symptoms of methanol poisoning include damage to the optic nerve, which may appear 1 hour or several days after oral administration and manifest as eye pain, photophobia, dark shadows in front of the eyes, floaters, flying snow or flashes, blurred vision, hallucinations, etc., a sharp decrease in vision, and even complete blindness.

The most common manifestation of metabolic acidosis is deeper and faster breathing, which requires blood gas analysis for diagnosis.

What should we pay attention to in daily life ?

Those who have drinking buddies at home should pay attention. After drinking, especially bulk liquor, homemade liquor, or unknown bottled liquor, if symptoms of drunkenness and mental symptoms occur, accompanied by symptoms of vision impairment such as photophobia, diplopia, and decreased vision, you should take it seriously and seek medical attention promptly.

When drinking, you should go to regular places and buy regular liquor. If you buy bulk liquor yourself, you should choose liquor produced by regular manufacturers, and check and ask for receipts. Never buy or drink liquor without a food production license or without registration from small workshops, and do not privately blend bulk liquor of unknown origin.