What is isopropyl alcohol poisoning?
Isopropyl Alcohol is a chemical commonly found in rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizers, and certain cleaning products. You might hear it abbreviated as both IPA or ISO. ISO poisoning occurs when your liver can no longer manage the amount of ISO in your body.
Is Isopropyl Alcohol toxic?
ISO can be toxic when ingested orally, inhaled, or applied topically, particularly in large amounts. But keep in mind that ISO can be harmful to children in smaller amounts.
Symptoms of Isopropyl Alcohol poisoning
The symptoms of ISO poisoning vary by the type and extent of poisoning. Sometimes, the symptoms may not appear for several hours.
Causes of Isopropyl Alcohol poisoning
Your body can handle small amounts of ISO. In fact, your kidneys remove approximately 20 to 50 percent of ISO from your body. The rest is broken down into acetone by enzymes known as alcohol dehydrogenases. This acetone is filtered out of your body through your lungs or kidneys.
Treating Isopropyl Alcohol poisoning
The goal of treatment is to remove the alcohol from your body and keep your organs working properly. Treatment for ISO poisoning can include:
dialysis, which removes ISO and acetone from the blood
fluid replacement, which may be used if you’re dehydrated
oxygen therapy, which allows your lungs to get rid of ISO more quickly
