Alcohol-Related Metabolic Emergencies

Lorelle Knight-Dunn; Julie Gorchynski

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2023.07.003

Alcohol-Related Metabolic Emergencies

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2023 Nov;41(4):809-819. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2023.07.003.

Authors

Lorelle Knight-Dunn¹, Julie Gorchynski²

Affiliations

¹ Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
² Department of Emergency Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, Mail Code 7736, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. Electronic address: gorchynski@uthscsa.edu.

PMID: 37758425
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2023.07.003

Abstract

Patients with alcohol use disorders are commonly identified and managed in the emergency department. Although the alcohol-intoxicated patient has a high risk for significant injury and diseases, the majority will be allowed to sober in the emergency department and can be discharged without incident. However, there are metabolic derangements in these patients, such as alcoholic ketoacidosis, Wernicke-Korsakoff, and potomania that very commonly present similar to intoxication and can be misdiagnosed by emergency clinicians.

Keywords: Alcohol; Alcohol use disorder; Alcoholic Ketoacidosis; Encephalopathy; Wernicke.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Alcoholic Intoxication* / diagnosis
Alcoholic Intoxication* / therapy
Alcoholism* / complications
Alcoholism* / diagnosis
Alcoholism* / therapy
Emergencies
Ethanol
Humans
Wernicke Encephalopathy* / diagnosis

Substances

Ethanol