Isopropyl alcohol intoxication: a diagnostic challenge

Abstract

Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is an ingredient of commonly used household solutions. Accidental and suicidal ingestion of IPA sometimes can be fatal if it goes unrecognized and untreated. There are few published reports on IPA intoxication. We describe a case of repeated IPA ingestion in a single individual, followed by a review of the literature on the subject. The differential diagnosis, diagnostic pitfalls, and therapeutic interventions in patients with IPA intoxications are discussed.