Every person is different, so there’s no way to know how much you can drink before you’re at risk of alcohol poisoning. That’s why you should always drink in moderation and slowly. Although young people are most likely to engage in binge drinking, deaths from alcohol poisoning usually involve men between the ages of 35 and 64, according to the CDC. And middle-aged people are more likely than younger ones to take prescription drugs, which can increase the severity of alcohol poisoning.
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Binge drinking, then, is defined as having four or more drinks on one occasion for women and five or more drinks on one occasion for men. Most people who binge drink consume an average of eight drinks per binge, though. If you experience an overdose, your doctor will ask you about your drinking habits and health history. Your doctor may also perform additional tests, such as blood tests (to determine your blood inspirational addiction recovery quotes alcohol and glucose levels) and urine tests. 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. If vomit is inhaled into the lungs, it can cause a person to stop breathing.
An exam of the heart and lungs is also crucial during this time because it can show signs of aspiration. “The lung exam would help us identify that by looking for differences in how the lungs sound and how the air moves when they’re breathing,” Dr. Farmer says. You can prevent an alcohol overdose by limiting your alcohol intake. You might consider sticking with one drink or abstaining from alcohol altogether. Know the danger signals, and if you suspect that someone has an alcohol overdose, call 911 for help immediately.
That means you run the risk of choking on your vomit and damaging your lungs or even dying. Many people consume alcohol because liberty cap effects it has a relaxing effect, and drinking can be a healthy social experience. But consuming large amounts of alcohol, even one time, can lead to serious health complications. Drinking too much and too quickly can lead to significant impairments in motor coordination, decision-making, impulse control, and other functions, increasing the risk of harm. Continuing to drink despite clear signs of significant impairments can result in an alcohol overdose.
But it’s best to take action right away rather than be sorry later. You may worry about what will happen to you or a friend or family member, especially if underage. But the results of not getting help in time can be far more serious. If you think that someone has alcohol poisoning, get medical attention right away.
If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, always call 911. Additionally, some drinks, such as mixed drinks, can have more than one serving of alcohol in them. This can make it harder to keep track of how much alcohol you’ve actually consumed.
Men are more likely than women to drink heavily, resulting in a greater risk for an alcohol overdose. Celebrating at parties, cheering a favorite sports team, and enjoying get-togethers after work are common ways to relax or be with friends. For some people, these occasions may also include drinking—even binge or high-intensity drinking. Alcohol poisoning typically happens when you consume a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time. It often happens from drinking excess alcohol-containing beverages, like beer, wine and/or liquor. But it can also occur due to non-beverage alcohol (ethanol), which is in things like mouthwash, cologne and cough medicine.
- Your liver breaks down alcohol to remove it from your body because it’s a toxin.
- Examples of these medications include sleep aids, such as zolpidem and eszopiclone, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam.
- In other words, your friend who drank way too much may not just be sleeping it off.
- Be aware of the alcohol content of what you’re drinking and adjust how much you drink based on this knowledge.
- You might need to describe how much they drank or what they’ve been doing since you called.
Diagnosis and Tests
People who accidentally consume methanol or isopropyl alcohol may need hemodialysis. This is a mechanical way of filtering waste and toxins from the blood. Don’t assume you can sleep it off or that you’ll be OK in the morning. If you can’t sit up, lie on your side to prevent choking on your vomit. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.
Alcohol Poisoning Risks
Most states have Good Samaritan laws, which allow people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they’re having a drug or alcohol overdose or see someone else who is overdosing. In addition to the serious risk of death, alcohol poisoning can also lead to irreversible brain damage. Other long-term complications of heavy alcohol use include addiction, cancer, cirrhosis, liver disease, vitamin deficiencies, and mental health problems. It also increases the risk of unintentional injuries due to falls, drowning, assault, and car accidents. 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.
Alcohol in the form of ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, is in alcoholic beverages. It’s also in mouthwash, some cooking extracts, some medicines and certain household products. Ethyl alcohol poisoning generally results from drinking too many alcoholic beverages in a short period of time. One of the main concerns for people who lose consciousness how to make myself pee is the risk of choking on their vomit and dying from a lack of oxygen or the lungs becoming damaged from aspiration, Dr. Farmer says. A telltale sign that a person is unconscious and not just asleep is their inability to be woken, per the Mayo Clinic, in which case, you want to seek immediate medical attention.
It’s important to remember that a person with alcohol poisoning may not have all the signs and symptoms. It can lead to complications such as choking, brain damage, and even death. Prompt medical treatment can help prevent these complications from occurring.
Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. When BAC reaches high levels, blackouts (gaps in memory), loss of consciousness (passing out), and death can occur. It’s also important to remember that BAC can continue to increase as long as 40 minutes after your last drink. Therefore, if you’ve consumed a lot of alcohol, you could still be at risk for alcohol poisoning even if you’ve stopped drinking. Of course, not every drink is going to lead to alcohol poisoning, but it’s still important to understand that it can be serious.