Alcohol poisoning is not the same as intoxication or a hangover. Alcohol poisoning is a much more serious condition that can even lead to death. What are the symptoms of alcohol poisoning? What is the treatment? How to provide first aid to a person suspected of alcohol poisoning?
Alcohol poisoningis often confused with intoxication and a hangover. However, it is not the same. Alcohol intoxication (state of intoxication) is a state of disturbance of consciousness that occurs after drinking too much alcohol.
In turn, a hangover is a malaise that occurs the day after drinking more alcohol. On the other hand, alcohol intoxication is a condition in which, apart from the symptoms of intoxication, there are also other disturbing symptoms.
The cause of poisoning can be both ethyl and methyl alcohol.
Alcohol poisoning: symptoms
The body's reaction to ethyl alcohol is not the same in every case and is the result of many factors, such as: the type of alcohol consumed, the state of filling the stomach with food, comorbidities, the way of consuming ethanol quickly or during time, gender, age, weight.
However, there are some typical stages in the development of ethyl alcohol poisoning¹:
Ethyl alcohol is a psychoactive agent that causes changes in the brain, in high doses paralysis of the respiratory and vasomotor center, and then death.
- 1st degree of poisoning - agitation: smell of alcohol from the mouth, motor hyperactivity, speech problems, balance disorders, instability, strange behavior
- II degree of poisoning - drowsiness: weakness, increased heart rate, problems with consciousness, unsteadiness of movements
- 3rd degree - blackout: weakness, loss of consciousness, inability to control your behavior and control the situation and your own physiology
- IV degree of poisoning - asphyxia: hypothermia (hypothermia), coma, breathing problems, no reaction to stimuli
Death may even occur as a result of alcohol poisoning. Most often it is the result of respiratory failure resulting from paralysis of the respiratory center and / or airway obstruction blocked with vomit or collapsing airways.language.
Circulatory failure with hypotension (lower blood pressure) is also common. Middle-aged men most often die from alcohol poisoning.
The much more serious poisoning with methyl alcohol manifests itself in a similar way.
Alcohol and cancer
Alcohol poisoning - first aid and treatment
A person suspected of poisoning with ethyl alcohol should be placed in a universal, safe side position.
The lethal dose of alcohol is about 300 ml of pure ethyl alcohol consumed per hour, which is equivalent to 0.7 l of vodka.
Alcohol poisoning often causes vomiting, which can lead to choking and suffocation. Then you should call an ambulance.
In a hospital, first of all, it is hydrated, electrolyte and vitamin disorders are corrected, and blood glucose deficiency is replaced. It may also be necessary to connect the patient to the ventilator.
Treatment of methyl alcohol poisoning is different, it is much more difficult and more often fails. In this case, the patient is given a drip of ethyl alcohol.