Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffAlcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — consequence of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect your breathing, heart rate and gag reflex and potentially lead to coma and death.
Binge drinking — rapidly downing five or more drinks in a row — is a main cause of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning can also occur when you accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol.
A person with alcohol poisoning needs immediate medical attention. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, call for emergency medical help right away.
Alcohol poisoning treatment consists of providing breathing support and intravenous fluids and vitamins until the alcohol is completely out of the body.
- Alcohol. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch198/ch198g.html#. Accessed Sept. 16, 2010.
- Facts about alcohol poisoning. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/otheralcoholinformation/FactsAboutAlcoholPoisoning.pdf. Accessed Sept. 16, 2010.
- Cowan E, et al. Ethanol intoxication in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Morgan DL, et al. Poisoning. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Emergency Medicine. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3114171. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Williams SR. Ethanol. In: Olson KR. Poisoning & Drug Overdose. 5th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2683871. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Young-Hee Y, et al. Accidental alcohol poisoning mortality. National Institute on Alcohol Dependency. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-1/110-120.htm. Accessed Sept. 16, 2010.
- Vonghia L, et al. Acute alcohol intoxication. European Journal of Internal Medicine. 2008;19:561.
- Alcohol. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/alcohol.html. Accessed Sept. 16, 2010.
- Kraut JA, et al. Toxic alcohol ingestions: Clinical features, diagnosis, and management. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2008;3:208.
- Alcohol poisoning. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.gov/PEOPLE/outreach/SafeSobr/15qp/web/idalc.html. Accessed Sept. 16, 2010.
- Alcohol alert: Young adult drinking. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa68/aa68.htm. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 17, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on