Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Causes

Risk Factors

Treatment

Prevention

Frequently Asked Questions

More than 2,200 people die from alcohol poisoning each year, an average of six people per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Most are men, and three in four people are between the ages of 35 and 65.

This article discusses the causes and symptoms of alcohol poisoning. It also explains available alcohol poisoning treatments.

Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms

Learning the symptoms of acute alcohol poisoning can help you distinguish between a friend who is drunk and passed out and a person who is unconscious due to acute alcohol poisoning. Look for:

Remember, your friend does not have to have all the symptoms to be at risk. Anyone who cannot be awakened or is unconscious is at risk of dying.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning typically correspond toblood alcohol concentration(BAC) levels.

In addition to the serious risk of death, alcohol poisoning can also lead to irreversible brain damage. Other long-term complications of heavy alcohol use include addiction, cancer, cirrhosis,liver disease, vitamin deficiencies, andmental health problems. It also increases the risk of unintentional injuries due to falls, drowning, assault, and car accidents.

What to Do If You Think Someone Has Alcohol PoisoningCall 911 immediately, even if you don’t see the classic signs or symptoms. Do not hesitate and don’t think about any legal ramifications. Your friend’s life could depend on your quick response.Prepare yourself to provide information to the emergency personnel or the hospital, including the type and amount of alcohol your friend drank and when.Do not leave your friend alone. Continue to try to revive them. Turn them on their side, so they will be less likely to choke if they vomit.If your friend is vomiting, try to keep them sitting up and awake.Watch their breathing closely. If they stop breathing, be prepared to perform CPR. If you don’t know how to perform CPR, try to find someone who does.Do not give your friend coffee or put them into a cold shower. These methods do not reduce the effects of alcohol poisoning.

What to Do If You Think Someone Has Alcohol Poisoning

Call 911 immediately, even if you don’t see the classic signs or symptoms. Do not hesitate and don’t think about any legal ramifications. Your friend’s life could depend on your quick response.Prepare yourself to provide information to the emergency personnel or the hospital, including the type and amount of alcohol your friend drank and when.Do not leave your friend alone. Continue to try to revive them. Turn them on their side, so they will be less likely to choke if they vomit.If your friend is vomiting, try to keep them sitting up and awake.Watch their breathing closely. If they stop breathing, be prepared to perform CPR. If you don’t know how to perform CPR, try to find someone who does.Do not give your friend coffee or put them into a cold shower. These methods do not reduce the effects of alcohol poisoning.

Causes of Alcohol Poisoning

Too muchalcoholin your bloodstream causes the areas of your brain that support breathing, heart rate, and other essential life-supporting functions to start to shut down.

In other words, your friend whodrank way too muchmay not just be sleeping it off. If they are experiencing an episode of acute alcohol poisoning, their condition could lead to coma and even death if you do not intervene.

Alcohol poisoning affects the brain, blood vessels, and liver. Rapid fluid ingestion alters the fluid concentration in the body, potentially disrupting fluid and electrolyte balance.

Children or adults can get alcohol poisoning. When it comes to kids, and maybe adults too, your thoughts might immediately jump to the liquor cabinet, but remember that another household product that contains alcohol, such as a cooking extract, or medicinal tincture, could be the culprit.

Alcohol Poisoning Risk Factors

Certain factors increase the risk of alcohol poisoning, including:

People whobinge drinkhave a higher risk of experiencing alcohol poisoning. Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks (for men) or four or more drinks (for women) within two hours.

Treatment for Alcohol Poisoning

There is no way to reverse alcohol poisoning; medical intervention is needed to protect the individual’s life. Calling 911 and keeping your friend safe until help arrives is the first step to safely treating someone with alcohol poisoning.

Available treatments to treat alcohol poisoning include:

If the person is experiencing seizures, a short-term anticonvulsant medication will be given to stop the seizures.

If someone experiences alcohol poisoning, they will need time to recover. After receiving medical intervention, they will continue to have severe hangover symptoms until their condition becomes more stable.

A healthcare provider may also suggest that individuals seek treatment for alcohol use or talk to a mental health professional. An individual may want to seek treatment for alcohol use or another mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.

A healthcare provider can offer treatment recommendations, assist with medical detox, and prescribe medications that can treat cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

How to Prevent Alcohol Poisoning

In addition to being aware of alcohol poisoning symptoms, you should also understand what you can do to prevent it from happening.

There is no way to eliminate the risk of alcohol poisoning. The best way to reduce your risk is to keep your alcohol consumption low or consider non-alcoholic beverages as an alternative.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Frequently Asked QuestionsThe duration of alcohol poisoning depends on a number of different factors, including how much alcohol has been consumed, how quickly it was consumed, and how quickly it is metabolized.Factors that can influence the rate of metabolism include weight, age, sex, other medications, and tolerance. Whether or not a person has eaten and how much they have eaten can also impact how long alcohol poisoning lasts.If you are recovering from alcohol intoxication and are experiencing a hangover, drinking fluids can help treat dehydration. Eating whole grains, bananas, yogurt, and sweet potatoes can also be helpful. If you are currently experiencing alcohol poisoning, you should seek medical attention.Alcohol poisoning is serious and potentially fatal. Consuming too much alcohol too quickly can negatively affect heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and the gag reflex. It can lead to loss of consciousness, coma, brain damage, and death.

The duration of alcohol poisoning depends on a number of different factors, including how much alcohol has been consumed, how quickly it was consumed, and how quickly it is metabolized.Factors that can influence the rate of metabolism include weight, age, sex, other medications, and tolerance. Whether or not a person has eaten and how much they have eaten can also impact how long alcohol poisoning lasts.

The duration of alcohol poisoning depends on a number of different factors, including how much alcohol has been consumed, how quickly it was consumed, and how quickly it is metabolized.

Factors that can influence the rate of metabolism include weight, age, sex, other medications, and tolerance. Whether or not a person has eaten and how much they have eaten can also impact how long alcohol poisoning lasts.

If you are recovering from alcohol intoxication and are experiencing a hangover, drinking fluids can help treat dehydration. Eating whole grains, bananas, yogurt, and sweet potatoes can also be helpful. If you are currently experiencing alcohol poisoning, you should seek medical attention.

Alcohol poisoning is serious and potentially fatal. Consuming too much alcohol too quickly can negatively affect heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and the gag reflex. It can lead to loss of consciousness, coma, brain damage, and death.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol poisoning deaths.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol facts and statistics.Kanny D, Brewer RD, Mesnick JB, Paulozzi LJ, Naimi TS, Lu H.Vital signs: alcohol poisoning deaths - United States, 2010-2012.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;63(53):1238-42.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning: Management and treatment.Kute VB, Godara SM, Shah PR, et al.Hemodialysis for methyl alcohol poisoning: a single-center experience.Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2012;23(1):37-43.U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol poisoning deaths.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol facts and statistics.Kanny D, Brewer RD, Mesnick JB, Paulozzi LJ, Naimi TS, Lu H.Vital signs: alcohol poisoning deaths - United States, 2010-2012.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;63(53):1238-42.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning: Management and treatment.Kute VB, Godara SM, Shah PR, et al.Hemodialysis for methyl alcohol poisoning: a single-center experience.Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2012;23(1):37-43.U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol poisoning deaths.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol facts and statistics.Kanny D, Brewer RD, Mesnick JB, Paulozzi LJ, Naimi TS, Lu H.Vital signs: alcohol poisoning deaths - United States, 2010-2012.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;63(53):1238-42.Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning: Management and treatment.Kute VB, Godara SM, Shah PR, et al.Hemodialysis for methyl alcohol poisoning: a single-center experience.Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2012;23(1):37-43.U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol poisoning deaths.

Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol facts and statistics.

Kanny D, Brewer RD, Mesnick JB, Paulozzi LJ, Naimi TS, Lu H.Vital signs: alcohol poisoning deaths - United States, 2010-2012.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;63(53):1238-42.

Cleveland Clinic.Alcohol poisoning: Management and treatment.

Kute VB, Godara SM, Shah PR, et al.Hemodialysis for methyl alcohol poisoning: a single-center experience.Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2012;23(1):37-43.

U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

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