When to Call 911: Do You Know the Signs of Alcohol Overdose?

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Alcohol Overdose (Alcohol Poisoning)

Alcohol poisoning occurs as a result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, leading to changes in breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex, which can lead to coma and death without medical intervention.

If you or someone you know has an alcohol addiction, call 800-948-8417 Sponsored to speak to a treatment specialist and get help before it’s too late.

Blood Alcohol Content

The rate at which alcohol leaves the body depends on blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which is influenced by how much alcohol is consumed, whether food is in the stomach and how quickly the body metabolizes alcohol. The more alcohol in the system, the harder the liver must work to break it down and prevent alcohol poisoning. According to Brown University, “Peak Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) could be as much as 3 times higher in someone with an empty stomach than in someone who has eaten a meal before drinking.”⁵

Who Is At Risk of Alcohol Poisoning?

Anyone who consumes alcohol is large amounts and over a short period is at risk of developing alcohol poisoning. Other factors that contribute to the likelihood of alcohol poisoning/overdose may include:^3,4,6

Gender
Age
Body composition and size
Genetic makeup
Personal or family history of drug use or alcoholism
Environmental factors
Biological rhythm
Amount of alcohol consumed
Physical exercise
Food (lack of or presence of in the stomach)
Certain medical conditions
Liver and Kidney functioning
Combining alcohol with other substances that are processed by the liver, including alcohol alternatives

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Overdose

Alcohol overdose occurs if you have so much alcohol in the bloodstream that basic life functions—such as breathing, heart rate, and body temperature regulation—begin to shut down.¹ If you or anyone you know engages in binge drinking or heavy alcohol use, you should be aware of the warning signs of an alcohol overdose, including:¹

Mental confusion, stupor
Difficulty remaining conscious, or inability to wake up
Vomiting
Seizures
Slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
Slow heart rate
Clammy skin
Dulled responses, such as no gag reflex (which prevents choking)
Extremely low body temperature, bluish skin color or paleness

If you see someone exhibiting overdose symptoms, get help immediately. You can decrease the risk of an alcohol overdose by getting help for an addiction. Call 800-948-8417 Sponsored to speak to a rehab specialist about your options.

How Binge Drinking Leads to Alcohol Overdose

Drinking alcohol is not uncommon in America, especially among young adults. However, innocent partying and socialization can easily get out of hand, leading to alcohol overdose and other potentially deadly outcomes.

Binge drinking can lead to alcohol overdose because it causes a rapid spike in BAC that the body cannot process quickly enough. As the BAC rises, vital functions including breathing, heart rate and gag reflexes are depressed. This can result in slow or stopped breathing, loss of consciousness, choking, coma and in some cases death.

If you are a chronic binge drinker and feel like alcohol is taking over your life, call 800-948-8417 Sponsored to discuss your rehab options.

Mixing Alcohol and Drugs

Ingesting alcohol along with other drugs intensifies their individual effects and can lead to an overdose, even with moderate amounts of alcohol.¹ For example, a person may mix depressants, like alcohol, with stimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamines or prescription medication such as Adderall.

Alcohol Overdose Treatment

Alcohol overdose is a serious issue and may lead to death if left untreated. If you suspect that someone has an alcohol overdose, call 911 immediately. Don’t try to remedy the situation yourself; cold showers and coffee are not enough to revive someone in extreme cases.

How to Help Someone Who Has Overdosed on Alcohol

Alcohol overdose is a serious, life-threatening condition. Here’s what you can do if you believe someone has overdosed on alcohol.¹

Call 911.
Do not play doctor or attempt to sober up the individual yourself.
While waiting for help to arrive, be prepared to provide information to the responders, including the type and amount of alcohol the person drank; other drugs they took, if known; and any health information you have on the person, such as medications they’re currently taking, allergies to medications and any existing health conditions.
Do not leave the intoxicated person alone, as they are at risk of getting injured from falling or choking. Keep the person on the ground in a sitting or partially upright position.
Help a person who is vomiting by having him or her lean forward to prevent choking. If a person is unconscious or lying down, roll them onto one side with an ear toward the ground to help prevent choking.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Patterns of problem or binge drinking that worsens is known as alcohol use disorder (AUD). According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), AUD is characterized by loss of control over one’s compulsive alcohol use, resulting in a negative emotional state when not using.¹¹

Warning signs you may have AUD include:

Drinking more, or longer, than you had planned
Trying to cut back or stop more than once, but couldn’t
Spending a lot of time drinking, being sick or hungover
Obsessively thinking about drinking or wanting alcohol so badly that you can’t focus
Having problems with work, school or family because of your habit (or because you’re sick from drinking)
Drinking even though it has caused problems for you or in your relationships
Quitting other activities that were important to you to drink
Finding yourself in situations while drinking or afterward that put you in danger
Drinking alcohol even though it made you depressed or anxious, hurt your health or led to a blackout
Having to drink more than you used to for the same effect
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when the buzz wears off, like trouble sleeping, shakiness, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, a seizure or hallucinations.¹¹

Experiencing two to three of these symptoms within the past year indicates a mild AUD. Four to five symptoms suggest a moderate AUD and six or more of these symptoms indicate severe AUD.¹¹

There are several evidence-based treatment approaches for individuals facing AUD, including inpatient and outpatient programs that utilize a mix of therapeutic approaches as well as support groups, family counseling and holistic approaches such as yoga, meditation, Tai Chi and others.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of alcohol overdose, call 911 immediately. If you are concerned about your drinking habits and want information on treatment for AUD, you can call our support line at 800-948-8417 Sponsored . Our trained specialists are here to support you 24/7.

References

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2002). College drinking hazardous to campus communities task force calls for research-based prevention programs.
(2015). Alcohol and your body.
Cedarbaum, A. (2012). Alcohol metabolism. Clinical Liver Disorders, 16(4): 667-685.
Nagy, L. (2004). Molecular aspects of alcohol metabolism: Transcription factors involved in early ethanol-induced liver injury. Annual Review of Nutrition, 24: 55-78.
Edenberg, H. (2007). The genetics of alcohol metabolism: Role of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase variants. Alcohol Research & Health, 30(1): 5-13.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2017). Study finds tens of millions of Americans drink alcohol at dangerously high levels
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2015). College Drinking.
Turrisi, R., Mallett, K., Mastroleo, N. (2006). Heavy drinking in college students: Who is at risk and what is done about it? Journal of General Psychology, 133(4): 401-420.
Weitzman, E., Nelson, T., & Wechsler, H. (2003). Taking up binge drinking in college: The influences of person, social group, and environment. Journal of Adolescent Health, 32: 26-35.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol Use Disorder.