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.
And middle-aged people are more likely than younger ones to take prescription drugs, which can increase the severity of alcohol poisoning. If the depressant effects begin affecting key functions of your body, like your breathing and consciousness, it’s considered alcohol poisoning. Every person is different, so there’s no way to know how much you can drink before you’re at risk of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning happens when excess alcohol in your bloodstream starts affecting life-supporting functions, like your breathing, heart rate and consciousness.
- A drunk person can recover with rest, fluids, and eating a balanced meal, while a person with alcohol poisoning needs to go to the hospital and get an IV or maybe their stomach pumped.
- Alcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time.
- You’ll need to go to hospital to be monitored if you have alcohol poisoning.
- Even if they have stopped drinking, the effects of alcohol poisoning can get worse over the next few minutes to hours, as alcohol continues to be absorbed into their system.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
A person with alcohol poisoning may vomit, which can be especially dangerous if they are laying down or are unaccompanied. There is a risk that a person with alcohol poisoning could choke on their own vomit because their gag reflexes can be inhibited by drinking too much. If a person has signs of an alcohol overdose, it is important to get them help immediately. Even if they have stopped drinking, the effects of alcohol poisoning can get worse over the next few minutes to hours, as alcohol continues to be absorbed into their system. Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person’s blood alcohol level is so high it becomes toxic. This typically occurs when people consume excessive amounts of alcohol in a short space of time.
Critical Signs and Symptoms of an Alcohol Overdose
Even if the person survives, an alcohol overdose like this can lead to long-lasting brain damage. As you keep drinking and your BAC increases, alcohol poisoning may occur. 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.
You may also be given help with your breathing until the effects of the alcohol wear off. If the alcohol poisoning is extreme, the patient can go into a coma and potentially die. A mixed drink or cocktail could have more than one serving of alcohol in it. Whether you need stitches, a broken bone set or think your appendix might be causing your abdominal pain, Cleveland Clinic’s emergency medicine team is here to help.
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- Poisoning happens when you drink too much ethyl alcohol in a short space of time.
- Ingesting alcohol and other drugs together intensifies their individual effects and could produce an overdose with even moderate amounts of alcohol.
- Since alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, it slows down your breathing and heart rate—potentially causing one or both to shut down entirely.
- But it can also occur due to non-beverage alcohol (ethanol), which is in things like mouthwash, cologne and cough medicine.
Do not wait for the person to have all the symptoms, and be aware that a person who has passed out can die. Don’t play doctor—cold showers, hot coffee, and walking do not reverse the effects of alcohol overdose and could actually make things worse. Alcohol use and taking opioids or sedative hypnotics, such as sleep and anti-anxiety medications, can increase your risk of an overdose. Examples of these medications include sleep aids, such as zolpidem and eszopiclone, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam. Even drinking alcohol while taking over-the-counter antihistamines can be dangerous. Even if you’re unconscious, your stomach and intestines continue to release alcohol into your bloodstream, increasing the level of alcohol in your body.
What are the possible complications 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.
Alcohol poisoning also can occur when adults or children accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol. Has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM). Dr. Hoffman has successfully treated hundreds of patients battling addiction. Dr. Hoffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AddictionHelp.com and ensures the website’s medical content and messaging quality.
For a man, binge drinking is when you have five or more drinks in less than 2 hours. Teens and college-age adults are most likely to engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. As your body digests and absorbs alcohol, the alcohol enters your bloodstream.
Having too much alcohol in your blood stops your body working properly and can be life-threatening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 2,200 alcohol poisoning deaths in the United States each year. We absorb alcohol much more quickly than food – alcohol gets to our bloodstream much faster. If you or someone you know has any of the above symptoms, seeking medical care urgently is essential.
We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical alcohol poisoning symptoms & treatment professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
What are the risk factors for alcohol poisoning?
Someone who is “just drunk” will be slurring their words, stumbling around, and acting drowsy. Someone with alcohol poisoning will be breathing slowly or irregularly, have cold skin, be vomiting a lot, and perhaps have a seizure or lose consciousness. A drunk person can recover with rest, fluids, and eating a balanced meal, while a person with alcohol poisoning needs to go to the hospital and get an IV or maybe their stomach pumped.