Ethanol Toxicity StatPearls NCBI Bookshelf

Most states have Good Samaritan laws, which allow people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they’re having a drug or alcohol overdose or see someone else who is overdosing. As blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases, so does the effect of alcohol—as well as the risk of harm. Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. When BAC reaches high levels, blackouts (gaps in memory), loss of consciousness (passing out), and death can occur.

How Alcohol Impacts the Brain

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. In any case, it’s unlikely that the paramedics or hospital team will call the police.

Deterrence and Patient Education

Never leave someone who is drunk alone, whether they are asleep or awake. If you are concerned that they could hurt you, maintain a safe distance while waiting for professional help. 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 stages of alcohol intoxication 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. In the U.S., paramedics don’t charge for a visit unless the person needs to go to the hospital.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

For outpatient treatment to be effective, the person needs to have a stable home situation that is supportive of recovery. The more you drink, especially in a short period of time, the greater your risk of alcohol poisoning. A person can consume a fatal dose of alcohol before passing out. Even when the person is unconscious or stops drinking, the stomach and intestines continue to release alcohol into the bloodstream, and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise. Scaling these risky BAC thresholds is not as difficult as some might think. Because it takes time for alcohol to have an effect on the body, consuming the large amounts required to reach these BAC levels can occur while the person is still reasonably sober.

Getting Help For Alcoholism

• Heavy drinking tends to cause more serious intoxication and may eventually cause serious health issues, such as blackouts or kidney failure.
• The most effective therapy for alcoholic liver disease is prolonged abstinence from alcohol.
• Create a driving contract that states no alcohol, ever, when driving.
• Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which means that it acts to decrease your response time and level of consciousness.
• More than 84% of adults report drinking alcohol at some point.
• 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.

Or find out more about how our symptom checker works before you try it for yourself. By Rod Brouhard, EMT-PRod Brouhard is an emergency medical technician paramedic (EMT-P), journalist, educator, and advocate for emergency medical service providers and patients. Accurate diagnosis of alcohol poisoning relies on a clinical examination and diagnostic tests. Friends and acquaintances may have a tendency to overlook intoxicated victims, believing that the alcohol will wear off.

Most programs help set up your aftercare once you complete the inpatient portion of your treatment. Some signs to watch for include decreased mood and appetite, memory problems, headache, and fatigue. BAC and blood sugar levels can both be checked with a simple blood or urine test. While you wait, make sure the intoxicated person remains upright and awake.

Unlike food, which can take hours to digest, the body absorbs alcohol quickly — long before most other nutrients. And it takes a lot more time for the body to get rid of alcohol. Alcohol poisoning also can occur when adults or children accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol. It may seem like a person has to drink a lot to get to this stage. But if a person drinks very quickly, they can get to this stage before long. At a BAC of 0.45 percent or above, a person is likely to die from alcohol intoxication.

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• Unlike food, which can take hours to digest, the body absorbs alcohol quickly — long before most other nutrients.
• It is absorbed through the lining of your stomach into your bloodstream.
• You’ll live in safe, substance-free housing and have access to professional medical monitoring.
• After an episode of alcohol intoxication, it takes time to recover.