Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks a large quantity of alcohol within a short period of time. Binge drinking, drinking five or more drinks very quickly, is the most common cause of alcohol poisoning, according to MayoClinic.com. Alcohol poisoning can lead to death or permanent brain damage even with prompt treatment.
Causes
Alcohol poisoning results when the liver is flooded with more alcohol than it can process, normally around one drink an hour. One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, four to five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. The type of alcohol consumed does not matter, only the amount. The legal level of intoxication in most states is .08. Consuming 21 drinks over a six hour period will cause alcohol poisoning in 95 percent of people, according to Loyola Marymount University.
Symptoms
By the time blood alcohol level, or BAC, reaches .30, a person may black out and has no control over his behavior. Most people are unconscious at a BAC of .35 and in severe danger of having permanent brain damage if they don't die. Other symptoms of dangerously high BAC include respirations of eight or less per minute, pale or cyanotic, blue-tinged skin, low temperature, confusion, slow pulse below 50 beats per minute and no response to painful stimuli such as pinching. Vomiting is the first sign of possible alcohol overdose and should be taken as a warning sign.
Actions to Avoid
People with suspected alcohol poisoning should not be given coffee or other food or liquids to help sober them up, because of the risk of choking. They should also not be walked around, because they're likely to stumble and fall, and walking doesn't help sober them up more quickly. Putting a person with alcohol poisoning in a cold shower could shock him into unconsciousness rather than sobering him up, the University of California at Davis states.
Treatment
Call 911 if a person appears to have alcohol poisoning. Treatments include careful observation in a medical setting, infusion of intravenous fluids to maintain hydration, oxygen administration and devices inserted to ensure that the person's airway will remain open. If accidental ingestion of alcohol in rubbing alcohol, antifreeze or paints occurs, kidney dialysis to remove toxins may be necessary to quickly lower blood alcohol levels, MayoClinic.com states.
Complications
BAC continues to rise even after a person stops drinking, because absorption of alcohol from the intestines continues. For this reason, a person who has been binge drinking should not be left alone to "sleep it off." Alcohol poisoning can cause a person to choke on his own vomit and stop breathing. The heart may beat irregularly or stop beating. A drop in blood glucose can lead to seizures and irreversible brain damage. Around 50 percent of people with a BAC of .40 will die, according to Loyola Marymount University.
