This is equivalent to just under 6 medium glasses of wine, or around 7 bottles of 5% beer. Your doctor can diagnose alcohol poisoning based on your symptoms. They’ll also order blood and urine tests to check your alcohol levels. Men and middle-age adults have the highest odds of getting alcohol poisoning. And middle-age people are more likely than younger ones to takeprescription drugs, which can increase the severity of alcohol poisoning.

The good news is that many areas have what are known as “Good Samaritan” immunity laws. These laws protect callers and victims involved in an overdose situation from being arrested or prosecuted. Alcohol suppresses your neurological function and creates mild symptoms known to accompany alcohol use, such as slurred speech, decreased coordination and decreased inhibitions.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

If a person is passed out but can be awaken by others, don’t leave them alone and monitor their breathing. Know the warning signs and do not wait for all the symptoms to be present to do something—just one symptom is enough to get medical help. If a person has ANY of these symptoms, alcohol poisoning he or she is suffering from ACUTE ALCOHOL INTOXICATION, which can be fatal and is a medical emergency. Geisinger Health Plan may refer collectively to Geisinger Health Plan, Geisinger Quality Options Inc., and Geisinger Indemnity Insurance Company, unless otherwise noted.

• Alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body.
• Continuing to drink despite clear signs of significant impairments can result in an alcohol overdose.
• Remember that there is a chance that a person who has passed out may not ever regain consciousness and there is a serious risk that death could occur.
• Alcohol is also converted into phosphatidylethanol by phospholipase D2, and this metabolite has been shown to directly bind to and regulate ion channels.
• Acute intoxication has been documented throughout history, and alcohol remains one of the world’s most widespread recreational drugs.

Have sober friends stay with the person, and try to keep them from consuming more alcohol or other substances. If there is any suspicion of alcohol overdose, call 911 or the emergency number for help. The most common mistakes that students make is leaving friends alone to “sleep it off.” If they are left alone, they could stop breathing and possibly die without medical attention. Death due to alcohol poisoning can occur when major organ systems, like the lungs, heart and brain, slow down and possibly stop working. Large amounts of alcohol cause the body to focus most of its energy toward expelling alcohol from the system through the liver which cause the other vital bodily functions to slow down. What’s the difference between being drunk and having alcohol poisoning?

Responding to alcohol overdose:

A person with alcohol poisoning needs immediate medical attention. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, call for emergency medical help right away. One of the symptoms of alcohol poisoning is hypothermia, so a cold shower will only cause the body’s temperature to fall further, leading to shock.

• Chasing alcohol with more alcohol creates a more considerable buildup of toxins in the bloodstream, and the body can’t handle it; the burden overwhelms the liver.
• First and foremost, drink plenty of water and Gatorade to rehydrate yourself and replace lost electrolytes.
• So it is important that everyone know how to recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do in that situation.