Alcohol consumption to a greater or lesser extent is a common practice in social contexts as diverse as a celebration, a meal, or a simple gathering with friends. Each person has their own habits that can range from having a couple of beers to one drink too many that can put more than one person in a difficult situation. And when alcohol intake exceeds the limits that the individual can tolerate, we speak of alcohol intoxication or overdose, which in the worst cases can cause death.
What Is an Alcohol Overdose?
Normally, an overdose occurs when a person consumes large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Having so much alcohol in the bloodstream affects the areas of the brain that control basic vital functions such as breathing or heart rate, which begin to be inhibited. Although it is not necessary to be an alcoholic to suffer an overdose, people with alcoholism are more susceptible to experiencing one.
Among the most common symptoms we find:
- Confusion
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow and/or irregular breathing
- Cold and clammy skin
- Low or very low body temperature (hypothermia)
- Absence of gag reflex
- Fainting or difficulty remaining conscious
When a person is experiencing an alcohol overdose, serious complications can develop, such as choking on their own vomit, becoming severely dehydrated affecting the brain permanently, experiencing irregular breathing and heart rate that may stop, and developing hypothermia and hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar concentration).
When Can an Alcohol Overdose Occur?
The body absorbs alcohol relatively quickly, unlike food, which can take hours to digest. Additionally, the body takes longer to eliminate alcohol if no food has been consumed, unlike a person who has eaten.
As a consequence of consuming alcoholic beverages, the level of alcohol in the blood increases. The amount of this substance in the bloodstream is measured using an indicator known as BAC (Blood Alcohol Content). This indicator measures grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. It is considered excessive alcohol consumption when the BAC reaches 0.08 grams. This normally occurs when, in a period of approximately two hours, a woman has consumed four drinks and a man has consumed five drinks. On the other hand, dangerous consumption is defined as when this indicator exceeds by double or more the limits considered excessive consumption.
The most serious cases would occur when the BAC is between 0.31 and 0.45. This is where the risk of overdose is potentially fatal due to the suppression of breathing, heart rate, and body temperature.
Risk Factors for Alcohol Overdose
There are various factors that can increase the risk of suffering alcohol intoxication. Some of them are:
- Not having eaten: people who consume alcohol on an empty stomach will have a blood alcohol concentration three times higher than people who have eaten adequately before drinking. This is because food dilutes the alcohol and delays the emptying of the stomach into the small intestine where alcohol is absorbed.
- People with diabetes: diabetics may experience sudden and pronounced increases or drops in their blood sugar levels due to alcohol. Alcohol can also prevent prescribed diabetes medications from working properly.
- Weight and physical build.
- Combining alcohol with other drugs.
- Tolerance level
- Age
- Family history
At the same time, women are generally more susceptible to the effects of alcohol than men, even if they have the same weight. This is due to their lower capacity to dilute alcohol because of a lower percentage of body water than men. On the other hand, women have less dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme that serves to break down alcohol. Additionally, premenstrual hormonal changes tend to produce more intoxication in women during the days before their period.
On the other hand, the National Health Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2017 shows the difference in habits between men and women over 15 years of age. This report highlights how almost half of men claim to drink regularly at least one day a week. In the case of women, this figure does not reach 25%. Another interesting fact highlighted by the survey is that less than 30% of women state that they have only had a few sips of alcohol or have never consumed it in their entire life.
How to Act in Case of Alcohol Intoxication
Often when in the company of someone who may be suffering an overdose, acting correctly and quickly can prevent the affected person’s situation from worsening substantially. Therefore, if we believe a person is suffering from alcohol intoxication, the first thing we must do is request medical assistance. It is important not to wait to observe several or all of the symptoms of an overdose to do so. With some of the symptoms present, it is already advisable to make the call.
On the other hand, and while waiting for medical assistance to arrive, it is advisable to follow a series of guidelines to keep the affected person safe. One of the most important actions in case the person is lying on the floor is to place them on their side to prevent them from choking in the event of vomiting. On the other hand, it is important to give them water to keep them hydrated and try, as much as possible, to keep them conscious. And, above all, never leave the person alone due to the risk of self-harm and monitor the symptoms they may be experiencing. This way, when medical assistance arrives, we can provide information to the healthcare personnel, such as the type and amount of alcohol the person consumed.
Obviously, the best way to avoid an alcohol overdose will always be prevention. Drinking in moderation will avoid the risk of suffering alcohol intoxication and the problems it entails. In the case of consuming alcoholic beverages, it is also advisable to do so over a long period of time and not drink compulsively in short periods of time. On the other hand, it should be noted that, while drinking on a full stomach can slow the absorption of alcohol in the body, this will not prevent the person from potentially suffering an alcohol overdose.
