How Does Alcohol Poisoning Occur?
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Cause
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Alcohol poisoning occurs when someone drinks too much alcohol in too short of time. Often, it is caused by binge drinking, which is defined in the medical community as quickly drinking five or more drinks in a row. Consuming a large amount of alcohol so rapidly has a serious consequence on the body. Your heart starts beating rapidly and your breathing becomes labored. You could lose your gag reflex, causing you to suffocate on your own vomit. Alcohol poisoning can even lead to death.
Effects
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Alcohol is a depressant. When large amounts of alcohol are consumed rapidly, the alcohol depresses the nervous system. It first affects the nerves that control the body's involuntary functions, such as the gag reflex and even breathing. Too much alcohol will cause these functions to cease completely. Alcohol also irritates the stomach, which can cause a person to vomit. If he is unconscious, he could choke to death on his own vomit.
In addition, the blood alcohol concentration in a person's bloodstream continues to increase for a time after the person has quit consuming alcohol. For this reason, a person who has stopped drinking or is asleep is still at risk for serious complications associated with alcohol poisoning.
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Symptoms and Risk Factors
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If you see someone drinking rapidly and excessively, and he exhibits any of the following characteristics, you need to get him to a doctor as soon as possible. These characteristics include slow breathing, vomiting, a seizure, confusion, blue or pale skin, and a low body temperature. Unconsciousness should also be taken as a sign of danger and not as someone "sleeping it off."
Alcohol poisoning usually occurs in males who are between the ages of 45 and 55. While it does also occur in college aged males, it is more common in middle-aged males who are already addicted to alcohol. Alcohol poisoning is more of a danger if the victim has not eaten, if the victim is of slight build, and if the victim is taking drugs of any kind.
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Resources
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