Paper I — 2021 February (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme) — Q9
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Paper I
2021 February (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme) · 40 marks · 120 min
Question
Fomepizole in methanol poisoning
Q91 marksShort Answers
Answer
Methanol is metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase to formaldehyde and then formic acid, the toxic metabolite responsible for metabolic acidosis and ocular toxicity. Fomepizole is a direct, potent competitive inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, blocking methanol’s conversion to its toxic metabolites, allowing unmetabolized methanol to be excreted renally or removed by haemodialysis. It is preferred over ethanol because it does not cause CNS depression/intoxication and has more predictable pharmacokinetics.