10/27/2026
In hospitals, clinics, and emergency departments, medical professionals use abbreviations to streamline communication. One of the most common is “EtOH.” This shorthand appears in charts, lab results, and diagnostic notes across nearly every area of medicine. But for patients, students, and even new healthcare providers, the question often arises: what does EtOH mean?
The answer goes far beyond a simple translation. EtOH refers to ethanol—the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages—but its appearance in medical contexts carries important clinical implications. Understanding how and why this term is used can help patients grasp the seriousness of alcohol’s impact on the body and empower providers to identify, document, and treat alcohol-related conditions safely and effectively.
