Ethanol Respiratory Quotient (RQ): Understanding Alcohol Metabolism
The respiratory quotient (RQ) for ethanol is 0.67, reflecting its metabolic pathway: C₂H₅OH + 3O₂ → 2CO₂ + 3H₂O. This means 0.67 moles of CO₂ are produced per mole of O₂ consumed. Ethanol's low RQ (vs. 1.0 for carbs, 0.7 for fats) indicates it is metabolized more like fat. Clinically, this affects indirect calorimetry calculations in critically ill patients receiving ethanol or propofol (which contains ethanol).
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