Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol Overdose Statistics and Facts. Approximately 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States. Knowing what the symptoms of alcohol poisoning are and responding appropriately to such alcohol poisoning symptoms can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Alcohol Poisoning and Blood Alcohol Level Factors

Alcohol poisoning, also known as an alcohol overdose, is a dangerous and sometimes deadly result of drinking significantly more ethanol alcohol than the human body can process.

It is worth emphasizing that it is not necessarily the amount of alcohol a person drinks but more accurately the amount of alcohol that an individual can metabolize that is critical when discussing alcohol poisoning symptoms.

The effects of the alcohol on your body depend on the amount of alcohol in your blood (known as blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

  • A person’s blood alcohol concentration is affected by the following factors:
  • How much food is in the individual’s stomach at the time he or she drinks
  • How strong the alcoholic drink is
  • How quickly the person consumes the alcoholic drink
  • How fast the person’s body metabolizes the alcohol

Common Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Typically, one of the first symptoms of alcohol poisoning is nausea, followed by vomiting. These alcohol poisoning symptoms are warning signs from the brain and from the body informing the person that he or she has consumed more alcohol than his or her body can metabolize. The following list characterizes some of the main symptoms of alcohol poisoning:

  • Unconsciousness (passing out)
  • Absent reflexes
  • Slurred speech
  • Seizures
  • Erratic behavior
  • No withdrawal from painful stimuli (for instance from pinching)
  • Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
  • Feeling very ill, including protracted vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Inability to make eye contact or sustain a conversation
  • Difficulty awakening the person
  • Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing

What To Do

The Bottom Line When Experiencing an Alcohol Overdose. Due to the fact that almost 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States and since alcohol poisoning can be fatal, it is important to be able to identify the typical symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Knowledge of these alcohol poisoning symptoms and knowing how to quickly and properly react to such symptoms (that is, by calling 911) can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Conclusion: Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms

Keep in mind that if a person experiences an alcohol overdose, he or she is an alcohol abuser. As a result, this person needs to keep the following in mind: the more that alcohol is consumed in an abusive manner, the more likely it is that the drinker will become an alcoholic. If this describes you, then you need to be honest with yourself and admit that you have a drinking problem.


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