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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffAlcohol poisoning symptoms include:
- Confusion, stupor
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute)
- Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
- Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
- Low body temperature (hypothermia)
- Unconsciousness ("passing out"), and can't be roused
It's not necessary for all of these symptoms to be present before you seek help. A person who is unconscious or can't be roused is at risk of dying.
When to see a doctor
If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning — even if you don't see the classic signs and symptoms — seek immediate medical care. In an emergency, follow these suggestions:
- If the person is unconscious, breathing less than eight times a minute or has repeated, uncontrolled vomiting, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Keep in mind that even when someone is unconscious or has stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise. Never assume that a person will "sleep off" alcohol poisoning.
- If the person is conscious, call 800-222-1222 (in the U.S.), and you'll automatically be routed to your local poison control center. The staff at the poison control center or emergency call center can instruct you as to whether you should take the person directly to a hospital. All calls to poison control centers are confidential.
- Be prepared to provide information. If you know, be sure to tell hospital or emergency personnel the kind and amount of alcohol the person drank, and when.
- Don't leave an unconscious person alone. While waiting for help, don't try to make the person vomit. Alcohol poisoning affects the way your gag reflex works. That means someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on his or her own vomit or accidentally inhale (aspirate) vomit into the lungs, which could cause a fatal lung injury.
References
- 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.
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