What is Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning can be an extremely dangerous condition that occurs when you drink alcohol faster than your body can process it. It can lead to serious health conditions, and the latest figures have revealed 10,048 deaths in the UK in one year alone, which were specifically linked to alcohol. 

There isn’t a minimum amount of alcohol that causes alcohol poisoning; in fact, symptoms can start as soon as the alcohol is consumed.

Key Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

There are some telling signs of alcohol poisoning, which can help you better understand if somebody is suffering from it. These symptoms can include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Confusion
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Being unable to coordinate movement
  • Sickness
  • Incontinence
  • Fits and seizures
  • Loss of consciousness

Alcohol poisoning can lead to a drop in body temperature and, in the most serious cases, can lead to a heart attack or even cause someone to stop breathing, so you must recognise the signs and symptoms.

It is important to note that alcohol overdose can affect any person, whether they are regular drinkers or not. What’s more, symptoms of alcohol poisoning can vary depending on the person’s genetic makeup and their alcohol intake. For example, some of the factors that play a role in determining the symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

  • Age
  • Size
  • How fast they have been drinking
  • How much they have been drinking
  • General health
  • Whether any medication or drugs have been taken.

What Causes of Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning is typically caused by binge drinking, which is when someone drinks a lot of alcohol quickly in one session. It occurs when someone consumes alcohol at a quicker rate than their body can filter the alcohol out of the bloodstream.

Binge drinking, or alcohol overdose, is defined as five drinks or more within two hours for men and four drinks or more within two hours for women.

Put simply – too much alcohol in the bloodstream means the body cannot function properly, which can be life-threatening. However, it is important to remember that people respond differently to alcohol. Some might be able to drink more alcohol with fewer effects compared to other people.

The Physiology Behind Alcohol Poisoning: How Alcohol Affects the Body

Alcohol poisoning isn’t always just a matter of overconsumption. It’s also about the body’s inability to process alcohol at the rate it’s consumed.

Our liver is responsible for metabolising alcohol, which it can do at about one drink per hour. But when someone consumes more than this, alcohol floods the bloodstream and begins to impact vital bodily functions.

Excess alcohol affects the brain’s ability to regulate breathing, heart rate, and temperature control. The liver will become overwhelmed, leading to a toxic buildup of alcohol in the system. This can, unfortunately, result in organ damage, unconsciousness, and even death if untreated.

Alcohol also disrupts the balance of electrolytes and sugars in the bloodstream, which can lead to seizures, dehydration, and low blood sugar levels. Understanding the body’s metabolic limitations can help in appreciating why alcohol poisoning should be treated as an emergency.

What Risk Factors Increase the Likelihood of Alcohol Poisoning?

Some individuals will be more prone to alcohol overdose than others. And this isn’t just due to the quantity consumed but also due to various physiological and lifestyle factors.

These typically include:

  • Genetic predispositions
  • Body weight
  • Personal tolerance levels
  • Any existing medical conditions (such as diabetes or liver disease)
  • Medications.

Additionally, binge drinking or mixing alcohol with drugs (no matter whether it’s recreational use or prescription) will significantly raise the risk of poisoning.

Young adults, especially those in social or binge-drinking environments, are also at higher risk as they often underestimate the effects of alcohol, and they’re also more likely to be vulnerable to peer pressure.

How Long Does Alcohol Poisoning Last for?

Alcohol poisoning can last for several hours and it can take days for an individual to feel their normal self again after consuming alcohol. The effects of alcohol poisoning can begin as soon as there is too much alcohol in the system for the body to cope with. This is because consuming alcoholic drinks increases your BAC or blood alcohol concentration. As this increases, so does the risk of alcohol poisoning.

  • 0 to 0.05% BAC – Individuals are likely to feel sleepy or relaxed and may have mild coordination, speech and memory issues.
  • 06 to 015% BAC –  Driving skills, memory, coordination and speech are significantly affected. Some people may also be aggressive.
  • 16 to 0.30% BAC – Memory, speech and coordination continue to be affected and decision-making skills are impaired. Some people may also experience vomiting and loss of consciousness.
  • 31 to 0.45% BAC – At this stage, the risk of serious and life-threatening alcohol poisoning is severe. Breathing and heart rate are depressed, too.

An individual’s BAC levels will continue to rise up to 40 minutes after their last drink. So, if you’ve consumed a large amount of alcohol, you could be at risk of alcohol poisoning long after you’ve stopped drinking.

Are There Any Long-Term Consequences of Alcohol Poisoning?

Even if alcohol poisoning is treated successfully, it can sometimes lead to long-term damage.

Repeated episodes of poisoning can cause significant harm to organs, particularly the liver, which is responsible for processing toxins in the body. So what this means is that chronic alcohol use can lead to liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis, both of which have life-threatening complications.

Brain damage is another potential consequence. Severe alcohol intoxication can deprive the brain of oxygen for prolonged periods, leading to memory loss, difficulty with coordination, and cognitive impairments.

Treatment for Alcohol Poisoning

If you’re worried that a loved one may be suffering from alcohol poisoning, it’s important to get them the right help fast. This is because alcohol poisoning requires medical assistance, and symptoms can become worse very quickly. In serious cases, alcohol poisoning can even lead to complications like heart failure and liver failure, which can be fatal.

For this reason, you need to take the individual to the hospital.

What to Expect in the Hospital

Alcohol poisoning treatment is not a pleasant experience. Once someone with alcohol poisoning is hospitalised, various interventions are applied to stabilise the person.

A doctor will need to monitor the individual’s vital signs and may use intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration and restore electrolytes. It may also be necessary to pump the stomach to remove unabsorbed alcohol.

In very severe cases, a tube may be inserted to assist with breathing if respiratory function is compromised. Dialysis is sometimes also used to filter the alcohol from the blood.

Typically, individuals will stay in the hospital until the alcohol has worn off, the signs of alcohol poisoning have faded, and they’re stable.

How to Prevent Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning can be a very serious condition. But, with a few simple steps for prevention, you can reduce the risk of it happening and needing treatment. These prevention strategies should be reinforced, especially in social settings or during occasions where binge drinking is common.

  • Know your limits: Understanding your personal tolerance and drinking at a slower pace can prevent over-intoxication.
  • Avoid binge drinking: Stick to no more than one drink per hour to give your body time to metabolise the alcohol.
  • Stay hydrated: Drink water in between alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and slow down alcohol absorption.
  • Never mix alcohol with drugs: Whether over-the-counter, prescription, or recreational drugs, mixing these substances with alcohol can significantly increase the risk of poisoning.
  • Dependency: Understand the signs of alcohol addiction.

Immediate Steps to Take If You Suspect Alcohol Poisoning

If you’re able to recognise alcohol poisoning quickly, it can be life-saving.

If someone is displaying symptoms such as vomiting, confusion, slow breathing, or seizures, take immediate action. Here’s what to do:

  • Call an ambulance right away. Don’t wait. It’s a medical emergency and cannot be treated at home.
  • Try your best to keep that person awake and sitting upright if possible.
  • If the individual is unconscious, turn them onto their side to prevent choking on vomit.
  • Do not leave the person alone. Symptoms can worsen rapidly.
  • Avoid giving them food or coffee or letting them “sleep it off,” as these methods can make this condition escalate.

These immediate steps can prevent a potentially volatile and fatal situation.

The Role of Support Systems and Alcohol Recovery Programmes

If an individual has experienced an alcohol overdose multiple times, recovering often involves more than just physical healing. Sometimes, it also requires addressing the behavioural and psychological aspects of drinking. The “why”.

Many individuals who experience alcohol overdose may have underlying issues such as addiction. This is where support systems come into play.

Family involvement, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes can provide the long-term assistance needed to reduce the risk of future alcohol overdose incidents.

There are many different types of recovery programmes, from inpatient treatment clinics to outpatient support groups (e.g. Alcoholics Anonymous), which offer various options for support. If there is a problem or an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, it’s essential to determine whether to explore some sort of support for dependency.

Worried About Alcohol? Get in Touch Today

If you’re worried about your own alcohol consumption or that of a loved one then the team at Asana Lodge are here to help too at our alcohol rehab. Not only do we offer a safe and supportive space for people to recover from alcohol addiction and abuse but we can answer your questions too and help you to start living a healthier life away from alcohol toxicity.

In fact, that’s exactly what we’ve done for so many people whose lives were being taken over by alcohol abuse and addiction. Simply get in touch with our team today if you need some support for either yourself or a loved one.

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