The person may not be able to stand up, may stagger when walking, and will likely be extremely confused about what’s going on. You should remain with the unconscious person until emergency medical help arrives. If you suspect an alcohol overdose and the person is unconscious, do not leave them alone. You don’t need to have all of the symptoms listed above to have an alcohol overdose.
An alcohol overdose is typically treated in the emergency room. The emergency room physician will monitor your vital signs, including your heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature. 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 alcohol and glucose levels) and urine tests. An alcohol overdose, or alcohol poisoning, is one health problem that can result from too much alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms and What to Do
According to the Mayo Clinic, open communication has been shown to greatly reduce the incidence of teen drinking and subsequent alcohol poisoning. If you experience an alcohol overdose, your outlook will depend on how severe your overdose is and how quickly you seek treatment. 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.
Rapid drinking can bring BAC so high that mental and physical functions are negatively affected. If BAC is high enough, it can impair physical functions such as breathing and the gag reflex (that prevents people from choking. Even when someone stops drinking, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can continue to rise for minutes, resulting in worsening symptoms. Using alcohol with https://ecosoberhouse.com/ 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.
Alcohol poisoning is an emergency
Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking. You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-poisoning-signs-and-symptoms/ your life are related to alcohol use. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help.
- Your health can change, the pace of your drinking or the alcohol concentration of a favorite drink may vary, and even your ability to metabolize alcohol can change from one day to another.
- If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes, you may be at greater risk for having an alcohol overdose.
- People who binge drink (drink more than five drinks in an hour) are also at risk for alcohol overdose.
- The symptoms of alcohol intoxication range from mild to severe, depending on how much alcohol a person consumes and how quickly their body metabolizes it.
People who binge drink have a higher risk of experiencing alcohol poisoning. Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks (for men) or four or more drinks (for women) within two hours. If you’re with someone who might have drunk too much, call 911 right away. If you or your friend are under the legal drinking age, you might be worried about the legal consequences. But alcohol poisoning is so serious, that not calling 911 could result in death.