Alcohol intoxication: Signs, symptoms, and treatment

In such cases, someone is in danger of choking on their own vomit, leading to asphyxiation and subsequent brain damage.2 Never leave a person alone who you suspect has overdosed on any drug, including alcohol. Prompt treatment of an alcohol overdose can prevent life-threatening health problems. However, severe alcohol overdose may cause seizures, resulting in brain damage if oxygen to the brain is cut off. As blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases, so does the effect of alcohol—as well as the risk of harm. Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment.

Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use in the United States

The majority of fatal overdoses in 2023 were linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, according to the CDC data, but deaths linked to these substances were down overall. Methamphetamines, cocaine and natural and semi-synthetic substances were also linked to overdose deaths. Alcohol poisoning is usually caused by binge drinking, which is where you have a lot of alcohol in one drinking session. It can happen when you drink alcohol faster than your body can filter it out of your blood. Consuming too much alcohol too quickly can lead to alcohol poisoning, which is marked by symptoms such as poor coordination, hypothermia, irregular heartbeat, slowed breathing, and unconsciousness. Poisoning is a significant problem in the United States and is the leading cause of unintentional death, surpassing motor vehicle crashes.

Public Health

Alcohol poisoning occurs when large quantities of alcohol are ingested in a short period of time (binge drinking). This can lead to a wide range of symptoms and complications, including seizures, cyanosis (blue coloration due to lack of oxygen in the blood), and alcohol overdose hypothermia (low body temperature). Alcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex.

How do increasing levels of alcohol affect the body?

Frequent episodes of problematic drinking and high BAC levels could increase the likelihood of alcohol addiction developing. These symptoms often occur in stages, depending on how intoxicated a person is. The table below shows common symptoms at each level of alcohol intoxication. It can lead to complications such as choking, brain damage, and even death. Prompt medical treatment can help prevent these complications from occurring.

• A BAC above 0.40% has a risk of serious complications, including coma and death, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
• This is when a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours.
• These early perceptions often overshadow the delayed negative consequences.
• Our treatment programs are tailored to your unique needs and adjusted throughout the length of treatment.
• This leads to rapid increases in BAC and significantly impairs brain and other bodily functions.
• It’s also in mouthwash, some cooking extracts, some medicines and certain household products.

• Deaths from causes fully attributable to alcohol use have increased during the past 2 decades in the United States, particularly from 2019 to 2020, concurrent with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• This increase translates to an average of approximately 488 deaths each day from excessive drinking during 2020–2021.

Medical Professionals

Alcohol Intoxication: What You Should Know