Alcohol poisoning is very dangerous that it can even lead to death without prompt and adequate medical treatment.
So you got promoted and decided to hit the bar with your friends to celebrate. After all, you think you have to reward yourself after all the hard work you’ve done. At the bar, you and your friends are having fun, and you know you have all been drinking a little too much. Suddenly, one of your friends fall to the floor after vomiting profusely–and is now unconscious.
What happened is alcohol poisoning, and if he doesn’t get the immediate help that he needs, your friend may die.
What you thought would be a night of revelry and alcohol can turn instantly into a disaster when one drinks an excessively large amount of alcohol within a short period of time, resulting to alcohol poisoning.
What is alcohol poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning occurs when your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is so high that it is considered toxic to your body. This happens when you drink too much alcohol over a very short period of time.
The liver can only process one standard drink (10 grams of alcohol, equivalent to 12.5ml of pure alcohol) per hour. If your alcohol consumption exceeds this, then you are in trouble.
The faster you drink, the higher your BAC will be, making you more prone to alcohol poisoning. However, even you if you immediately stop drinking, your BAC will still continue to rise because there’s still the alcohol in your stomach and intestines, which will still enter the bloodstream and therefore increase your BAC even if you are not drinking anymore.
Alcohol can disable the nerves responsible for breathing and gag reflex (choking). Incidentally, alcohol also irritates the stomach, causing excessive vomiting. Therefore, if you fall unconscious after bingeing, you can be at risk of death by drowning in your own vomit.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Uncoordinated movements
- Irregular breathing
- Slow breathing
- Low body temperature
- Unconsciousness
- Seizure
What you can do while waiting for help
- Stay with them
- Keep them warm
- Check their pulse
- Check their breathing
- If unconscious: Put the in recovery position (laying on left side, right leg bent forward, left arm up and right arm bent with hand over left elbow and the head resting on the right hand)
- If awake: Keep them in a sitting position
- Keep them awake
What if someone drunk too much
- Don’t let them just sleep it off as their blood alcohol content may still rise even after they stopped drinking
- Don’t give them coffee, as caffeine also dehydrates the body and may cause brain damage
- Don’t force them to vomit
- Let them sit down and rest while keeping a close eye on them
- Don’t put them under cold shower, as alcohol already lowers body temperature and doing so can lead them to have hypothermia
- Don’t let them drink any more alcohol
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