Alcohol Intoxication: Acute, Symptoms, Treatments, Signs, and More

And middle-aged people are more likely than younger ones to take prescription drugs, which can increase the severity of alcohol poisoning. Using alcohol with opioid pain relievers, such as oxycodone and morphine, or illicit opioids, such as heroin, is also a very dangerous combination. Like alcohol, these drugs suppress areas in the brain that control vital functions such as breathing. Ingesting alcohol and other drugs together intensifies their individual effects and could produce an overdose with even moderate amounts of alcohol. This is when a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours. An alcohol binge can occur over hours or last up to several days.

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• People with alcohol poisoning are also more likely to experience injuries, which can be severe.
• As your BAC increases, so does your risk for alcohol poisoning.
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• Blood and urine tests can measure alcohol concentration, providing helpful clues about whether alcohol poisoning is the cause of symptoms.
• Blood pressure, breathing rate, pupil size, and responsiveness are all considered in the assessment.

But as you continue to drink and your BAC rises, your blood vessels start to constrict and reduce blood flow and, therefore, heat distribution. Alcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex. The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for intoxication is 0.08% or greater, per the NIAAA.

Is Passing Out a Sign of Alcohol Overdose?

Alcohol poisoning happens when there’s too much alcohol in your blood, causing parts of your brain to shut down. BAC can continue to rise even when a person stops drinking or is unconscious. Alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body.

• For example, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), a stroke, or a seizure can cause problems with speech and level of consciousness that may be confused with alcohol consumption.
• Diagnosis of alcohol poisoning is complex, requiring a physical examination, assessment of vital signs, and possibly diagnostic tests.
• These contributors included both experts external to NIAAA as well as NIAAA staff.
• Too much alcohol can be toxic to liver cells, causing dehydration and permanent scarring—which ultimately affects the blood flow.

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Every time you drink alcohol, it’s up to your liver to break it down and filter it until it becomes less toxic for the body to eventually eliminate as waste. For people who drink occasionally, the body can only process a certain amount of alcohol every hour, and that magic number stages of alcohol intoxication is technically unknown; generally, it’s considered to be one drink per hour. So, glugging much more than that in a short time can result in alcohol poisoning, per the Mayo Clinic. If you think someone has alcohol poisoning, never hesitate to seek emergency medical care.

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• It can cause serious complications, like liver and heart failure, which can be fatal.
• So if you find that a glass or two turns into a bottle or more, you might want to take a hard look at your drinking habits, Dr. Andrews suggests.
• It goes without saying that there are many other factors involved in unhealthy use of alcohol than this definition.
• Treatment for any injuries, such as head trauma or bone fractures, is often necessary as well.

Remember, your friend does not have to have all the symptoms to be at risk. Anyone who cannot be awakened or is unconscious is at risk of dying. The person can become extremely confused, unresponsive, disoriented, have shallow breathing, and can even pass out or go into a coma.

Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

• Ingesting alcohol and other drugs together intensifies their individual effects and could produce an overdose with even moderate amounts of alcohol.
• Never leave someone who is drunk alone, whether they are asleep or awake.
• Occasional alcohol consumption may cause difficulties while they are under the influence or the following day, but they have not become addicted.