Alcohol poisoning can cause the heart to beat irregularly or even stop. Your body temperature may drop so low that it leads to cardiac arrest. Your blood sugar level may drop low enough to cause seizures. Vomiting can result in severe dehydration, leading to dangerously low blood pressure and fast heart rate. Accidentally inhaling vomit into your lungs can lead to a dangerous or fatal interruption of breathing (asphyxiation). Because it depresses your gag reflex, this increases the risk of choking on vomit if you've passed out. Severe complications can result from alcohol poisoning, including: The rate and amount of alcohol consumption.The percentage of alcohol in your drinks.Whether you're combining alcohol with other drugs.Risk factorsĪ number of factors can increase your risk of alcohol poisoning, including: Mixed drinks may contain more than one serving of alcohol and take even longer to metabolize. 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters) of 80-proof hard liquor (about 40 percent alcohol).
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5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine (about 12 percent alcohol).8 to 9 ounces (237 to 266 milliliters) of malt liquor (about 7 percent alcohol).12 ounces (355 milliliters) of regular beer (about 5 percent alcohol).The more you drink, especially in a short period of time, the greater your risk of alcohol poisoning. Most alcohol is processed (metabolized) by your liver. And it takes a lot more time for your body to get rid of the alcohol you've consumed. Unlike food, which can take hours to digest, alcohol is absorbed quickly by your body - long before most other nutrients. Even when you're unconscious or you've stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released from your stomach and intestines into your bloodstream, and the level of alcohol in your body continues to rise. You can consume a fatal dose before you pass out. An alcohol binge can occur over hours or last up to several days. Binge drinkingĪ major cause of alcohol poisoning is binge drinking - a pattern of heavy drinking when a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours, or a female rapidly consumes at least four drinks within two hours. Other forms of alcohol - including isopropyl alcohol (found in rubbing alcohol, lotions and some cleaning products) and methanol or ethylene glycol (a common ingredient in antifreeze, paints and solvents) - can cause other types of toxic poisoning that require emergency treatment. Ethyl alcohol poisoning generally results from drinking too many alcoholic beverages, especially in a short period of time. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic CausesĪlcohol in the form of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is found in alcoholic beverages, mouthwash, cooking extracts, some medications and certain household products. But the consequences of not getting the right help in time can be far more serious. You may worry about the consequences for yourself or your friend or loved one, particularly if you're underage. It can be difficult to decide if you think someone is drunk enough to warrant medical intervention, but it's best to err on the side of caution. Try to keep the person awake to prevent loss of consciousness.
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If the person must lie down, make sure to turn his or her head to the side - this helps prevent choking. While waiting for help, don't try to make the person vomit because he or she could choke. Because alcohol poisoning affects the way the gag reflex works, someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on his or her own vomit and not be able to breathe.
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A person with alcohol poisoning who is unconscious or can't be awakened is at risk of dying. It's not necessary to have all the above signs or symptoms before you seek medical help. Passing out (unconsciousness) and can't be awakened.Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths).Slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute).Alcohol poisoning signs and symptoms include: