In the management of toxicity caused by ingestion of methanol in wood spirits, which one of the following statements is most accurate?
High-Yield Explanation
Ethanol saturates alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) at very low blood levels (zero- order elimination), preventing the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde, a toxic compound that can result in blindness. Ethanol (IV) continues to be used as an antidote in poisoning due to the ingestion of liquids containing methanol or ethylene glycol (antifreeze). Hemodialysis is also employed in management of methanol intoxication. Disulfiram (Antabuse) is an inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase used in some alcohol rehabilitation programs, and naltrexone (an opioid antagonist) is approved for use in alcoholism because it decreases "craving." Delirium tremens is a characteristic of the withdrawal or abstinence syndrome in patients who have become physically dependent on ethanol.