How to Spot the Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

These methods don’t speed up alcohol metabolism and can increase the risk of shock. Never leave the person alone, as their condition can deteriorate quickly. If they’re unconscious, place them in the recovery position to prevent choking. Alcohol poisoning is a serious and potentially fatal result of excessive drinking. Learn the causes, dangers, symptoms, and how to respond in an emergency.

Alcohol Poisoning Signs & Symptoms

If someone experiences an alcohol overdose, they may need lifesaving treatment immediately. If you or a loved one is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call 911 emergency medical services immediately. While eating before alcohol poisoning drinking can slow alcohol absorption and delay BAC elevation, it won’t prevent alcohol poisoning if you consume excessive amounts.

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For context, a BAC of 0.08% is legally intoxicated in most regions, while 0.30% is four times that amount. If someone’s skin appears bluish, they are at risk of respiratory failure, and urgent medical intervention is essential. Confusion is often the first red flag in alcohol poisoning, signaling that the brain is struggling to process information due to excessive alcohol intake. Unlike typical intoxication, where someone might slur words or stumble, confusion in this context manifests as an inability to recognize familiar faces, places, or even basic instructions. For instance, a person might repeatedly ask the same question or fail to respond coherently to simple queries. This symptom is particularly alarming in individuals who have consumed large amounts of alcohol in a short period—say, more than four standard drinks for women or five for men within two hours.

Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose

If you choose to drink, it’s a good idea to drink responsibly and stick to the guidelines for moderating drinking that are mentioned above. As your body digests and absorbs alcohol, the alcohol enters your bloodstream. Your liver breaks down alcohol to remove it from your body because it’s a toxin. But when BAC levels are high, your liver can’t remove the toxins quickly enough.

What should I do if I see someone who may have alcohol poisoning?

• Alcohol intoxication occurs when a person drinks an excess of alcohol in a short period.
• It’s not just a temporary setback—it’s a life-threatening condition that can leave lasting damage or even end a life.
• Because an alcohol overdose can suppress a person’s gag reflex, they could choke and possibly die if they vomit while unconscious and lying on their back.
• Alcohol overdose is also referred to as alcohol poisoning, ethanol toxicity, or acute alcohol intoxication.
• Your drinking pace and total amount consumed matter more than beverage type; rapid consumption of any alcohol type can lead to poisoning.

Typically, the liver can metabolize about one standard drink (roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol) per hour. drug addiction treatment If someone has drunk a large quantity, it can take six hours or more to fully clear the bloodstream of the excess alcohol. Each individual’s reaction to alcohol varies based on factors like body weight, metabolism, hydration, age, and overall health.

• They should follow the below advice until medical assistance arrives.
• The BAC for alcohol overdose is above 0.30%, a level considered within the alcohol toxicity threshold where vital functions begin to shut down.
• Higher percentages of alcohol in the blood may be fatal for some people.

If BAC is high enough, it can impair physical functions such as breathing and the gag reflex (that prevents people from choking. People typically try to treat alcohol poisoning at home because they are afraid of others finding out that they have been drinking. Treating alcohol poisoning at home increases the risk of death and is never advised.

How can alcohol poisoning be prevented?

If someone’s breathing has slowed to less than eight breaths per minute — or if they can’t be woken up — call 911. If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes, you may be at greater risk for having an alcohol overdose. Having a high tolerance for alcohol or drinking quickly (for example, by playing drinking games) can put you at increased risk for an alcohol overdose. Diagnostic procedures include blood tests to measure BAC, liver enzyme levels, glucose levels, and blood gases to detect acidosis or hypoxia.

• Remember, the best way to avoid alcohol poisoning is to avoid excessive drinking altogether.
• Technically, alcohol poisoning only lasts until your body processes and eliminates most of the alcohol that was causing the alcohol poisoning.
• You should never treat alcohol poisoning by yourself — always call 911 as soon as alcohol poisoning is suspected.
• At Healthgrades, our Editorial Team works hard to develop complete, objective and meaningful health information to help people choose the right doctor, right hospital and right care.
• A person with alcohol poisoning may lose consciousness and choke on vomit or stop breathing during sleep.

The sooner you get medical help, the better your chances of a quick recovery. Alcohol poisoning is the result of drinking alcoholic beverages quicker than the body can process them. Here, we discuss the signs, symptoms and aftermath of alcohol poisoning. Comparatively, responsiveness in alcohol poisoning differs from typical drunkenness.