Usually, booze is the norm in parties, celebrations, get-togethers and holidays in the American culture. Happy occasions mean more alcohol, sometimes to such an extent that it can become life-threatening. When someone binge drinks, his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises to such a level that it becomes toxic and results in alcohol poisoning.

1. Handling the Emergency: What to Do in Case of Alcohol Poisoning
Usually, booze is the norm in parties, celebrations, get-togethers and holidays in the American
culture. Happy occasions mean more alcohol, sometimes to such an extent that it can become life-
threatening. When someone binge drinks, his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises to such a
level that it becomes toxic and results in alcohol poisoning.
Christopher Tedeschi, M.D., a professor of emergency medicine at the Columbia University
Medical Center, describes alcohol poisoning as just another way to say “very, very drunk.” He
added, “It means that our mental status is altered, our respiration is depressed, and we may not
even be able to protect our airway.”
As per the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), “Very
high levels of alcohol in
the body can lead to
stopping critical areas in
the brain that control
breathing, heart rate, and
body temperature,
resulting in death.”
Alcohol poisoning is not
uncommon these days.
According to the CDC, an
average of six people die
of alcohol poisoning every
day in the United States.
Understanding alcohol poisoning
Once alcohol enters the body, it is carried by the blood stream to various body parts, and the liver
filters out the alcohol, a toxin, from the blood. Alcohol is absorbed more quickly into the
bloodstream than food. However, the liver can process only a limited amount of alcohol. In fact, it
can process only one unit of alcohol in an hour. Whenever an individual consumes more than one
unit within an hour, an extra unit is left in the bloodstream. The faster one drinks, the higher is the
BAC in the body and the higher is the rate of alcohol poisoning.
A spike in the BAC may affect breathing, heart rate and gag reflex that can trigger unconsciousness
and eventually cause death.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning

2. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), some of the
symptoms of alcohol poisoning are:
 mental confusion, stupor, coma, or inability to wake up
 vomiting
 seizures
 slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
 irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
 hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness
 clammy skin
 dulled responses, such as no gag reflex
The NIAAA says that BAC can continue to increase even if a person becomes unconscious due to
alcohol poisoning. Alcohol present in the stomach and intestines continues to flow in the
bloodstream and spread in the body.
Ways to help a victim of alcohol poisoning
If someone suffers an alcohol poisoning, an ambulance must be called immediately. Alcohol
poisoning is serious and a little delay can result in death or a death-like situation. It is risky to
assume that an unconscious person will get well by “sleeping it off”; in fact, it will only worsen the
situation. Few steps that can be taken to tackle such a situation are:
 try to keep the individual awake
 try to put him in a sitting position; if the individual is unconscious, make him lie on his side,
which is a recovery position, and make sure he does not choke
 give him water and NOT coffee as it will worsen the dehydration
 do not make him walk as he might fall and get hurt
 don’t give him any more alcoholic drinks
Once the patient reaches the hospital, medical practitioners will start the treatment depending on
his/her condition.
Road to an alcohol addiction-free life
If binge drinking becomes a routine, one should seek alcohol treatment immediately.
Detoxification is the first level of treatment offered to an alcoholic at various detox treatment
centers in Colorado and other parts of the U.S. The de-addiction experts available at the 24/7
Colorado Detox Helpline number 866-730-5807 can help you find one of the best detoxification
treatment centers in Colorado. Remember, it is better to be safe than sorry.
For more information please visit
www.coloradodetoxhelpline.com