Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a state where the amount of alcohol in the system surpasses the body’s ability to metabolize it effectively. This overwhelming influx of alcohol means that the body must exert extra effort to eliminate the alcohol.
During the metabolic process, alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde, a substance that is even more harmful than alcohol itself. This can pose significant health risks, as your body struggles to process and clear these toxic substances. Read on to learn more about how to avoid alcohol poisoning and how to engage with effective treatment if your blood alcohol concentration becomes dangerously high.
What Is Alcohol Poisoning?
Consuming excessive alcohol can overwhelm the bloodstream and impair critical brain functions that regulate vital systems like respiration, heart rate, and body temperature. An overdose of alcohol may lead to life-threatening symptoms, including:
- Severe confusion
- Vomiting
- Slow heart rate
- Cold, damp skin
- Suppressed gag reflex
- Significant drop in body temperature.
- Respiratory difficulties
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
Alcohol poisoning can cause irreversible harm to the brain. In some cases, overdosing on alcohol can be fatal. The threshold at which alcohol consumption becomes dangerous varies from person to person and is influenced by factors such as age, tolerance to alcohol, gender, the rate of consumption, concurrent use of medications, and the amount of food in the stomach.
Combining alcohol with opioids or sedatives – prescription sleep aids like zolpidem and eszopiclone, or benzodiazepines like diazepam and alprazolam – increases the risk of alcohol poisoning. This risk is also present with over-the-counter antihistamines or prescription medications like promethazine.
Mixing alcohol with opioid painkillers like oxycodone and morphine, or with illicit opioids like heroin and fentanyl, is especially dangerous. Alcohol and opioids both depress the CNS (central nervous system) and the brain’s ability to manage essential life functions. Combining alcohol and opioids amplifies their effects, increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning even with moderate intake.
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol overdose is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when someone consumes a dangerous amount of alcohol in a short period. Recognizing the signs of alcohol poisoning enables you to take immediate action to help the affected person. Here are the main indicators of alcohol poisoning:
- Confusion and mental impairment: Inability to stay awake or respond to questions. Severe disorientation, confusion, or stupor.
- Vomiting: Frequent and uncontrollable vomiting, which may be forceful. Vomit may contain blood or be a different color.
- Hypothermia: Cold, clammy, or bluish skin, especially around the fingers and toes. A drop in body temperature due to alcohol’s depressive effects on the CNS.
- Slow or irregular breathing: Breathing may become slow, irregular, or even stop temporarily. Shallow or erratic breathing patterns.
- Seizures: Seizures or convulsions can occur as a result of alcohol poisoning. The person may lose consciousness during a seizure.
Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include a range of physical and physiological reactions to excessive alcohol consumption. While some symptoms overlap with the signs outlined above, other symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Paleness or bluish skin due to poor circulation. Sweating profusely and feeling cold to the touch.
- Irregular heartbeat: Rapid, irregular, or slowed heart rate. Hypotension (low blood pressure) may also occur.
- Unconsciousness: The person may become unresponsive or lose consciousness. Inability to wake the person up, even with vigorous shaking.
- Hyperventilation: Rapid and deep breathing that can lead to respiratory alkalosis (an imbalance in blood pH). This may be accompanied by confusion and agitation.
- Odor of alcohol: An overpowering smell of alcohol on the person’s breath. Alcohol-scented vomit or regurgitation.
Alcohol poisoning can be fatal if left untreated. If you suspect that someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call for emergency medical assistance immediately. While waiting for help, try to keep the person awake and sitting up if possible, and do not leave them alone. Don’t attempt to sober the person up with cold showers or coffee, as these methods are ineffective and can be harmful. Alcohol poisoning requires prompt medical attention to prevent severe complications or death.
Alcohol Poisoning Treatment
When signs of alcohol poisoning appear, call emergency services immediately. While awaiting emergency personnel, take these steps:
- Remain calm and vigilant.
- Keep the person seated and upright.
- Make sure that they stay conscious.
- Stay with the person, keeping them company.
- Be prepared to relay information to the emergency responders about the person overdosing on alcohol and the circumstances.
- Upon arrival at the hospital, healthcare providers have various treatments for alcohol poisoning based on their BAC (blood alcohol content) and symptom severity. If breathing difficulties arise, a tube may be inserted into the windpipe to facilitate normal breathing. To counteract dehydration and low blood sugar that often accompany heavy drinking, an IV drip may be administered, providing fluids and nutrients.
In particularly severe cases of alcohol poisoning, gastric lavage might be performed to quickly clear toxins from the stomach, accelerating the alcohol’s removal from the bloodstream and lessening the risk of fatal outcomes.
FAQs
How long does alcohol poisoning last?
The duration of alcohol poisoning can vary greatly depending on factors like body weight, tolerance, and the amount of alcohol consumed. Symptoms can last for several hours, and it may take a day or more for the body to fully process the alcohol in severe cases, especially without medical intervention.
How do you get alcohol poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning occurs when someone consumes a toxic amount of alcohol, usually over a short period of time, leading to a blood alcohol concentration that is high enough to be poisonous to the body. This typically happens when drinking large amounts of alcohol quickly, which overwhelms the liver’s ability to metabolize it.
Get Treatment for Alcohol Addiction at Ohio Recovery
At Ohio Recovery Centers, we specialize in the outpatient treatment of alcohol addiction. This enables you to engage with evidence-based care without neglecting your everyday commitments. We also offer more intensive outpatient treatment for those who required a more structured pathway to lasting sobriety.
All treatment programs at our Cincinnati rehab account for the unique nature of each alcohol addiction by delivering tailored and evidence-based treatment. Alcohol use disorder responds positively to a blend of MAT (medication-assisted treatment), psychotherapies, and counseling. Additionally, you can access a variety of holistic therapies at Ohio Recovery Centers. When you are ready to address alcohol addiction head-on, call 877-679-2132 right away.
