8/26/2023 0 Comments No gag reflex pillsWhen BAC reaches high levels, amnesia (blackouts), loss of consciousness (passing out), and death can occur.īAC can continue to rise even when a person stops drinking or is unconscious. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment. As BAC Increases-So Do the RisksĪs blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases, so does the effect of alcohol-as well as the risk of harm. This leads to rapid increases in BAC and significantly impairs brain and other bodily functions. Drinking such large quantities of alcohol can overwhelm the body’s ability to break down and clear alcohol from the bloodstream. Research shows that teens and college-age young adults often engage in binge drinking and high-intensity drinking. Teenagers and young adults who drink may be at particular risk for alcohol overdose. 08 percent or higher,* typically occurring after a woman consumes 4 drinks or a man consumes 5 drinks in about 2 hours 1 as well as high-intensity drinking, defined as drinking two or more times the binge-drinking thresholds for women and men. This is especially true of individuals who engage in binge drinking, defined as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to. Ingesting alcohol and other drugs together intensifies their individual effects and could produce an overdose with even moderate amounts of alcohol.Īnyone who consumes too much alcohol too quickly may be in danger of an alcohol overdose. Like alcohol, these drugs suppress areas in the brain that control vital functions such as breathing. Using alcohol with opioid pain relievers such as oxycodone and morphine or illicit opioids such as heroin is also a very dangerous combination. Even drinking alcohol while taking over-the-counter antihistamines can be dangerous. Examples of these medications include sleep aids such as zolpidem and eszopiclone, and benzodiazepines such as diazepam and alprazolam. Age, sensitivity to alcohol (tolerance), gender, speed of drinking, medications you are taking, and amount of food eaten can all be factors.Īlcohol use and taking opioids or sedative-hypnotics, such as sleep and anti-anxiety medications, can increase your risk of an overdose. What tips the balance from drinking that produces impairment to drinking that puts one’s life in jeopardy varies among individuals. Alcohol overdose can lead to permanent brain damage or death. Symptoms of alcohol overdose include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, seizure, trouble breathing, slow heart rate, clammy skin, dulled responses such as no gag reflex (which prevents choking), and extremely low body temperature. What Is an Alcohol Overdose?Īn alcohol overdose occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that areas of the brain controlling basic life-support functions-such as breathing, heart rate, and temperature control-begin to shut down. Continuing to drink despite clear signs of significant impairments can result in an alcohol overdose. And when that happens, the results can be deadly.ĭrinking too much and too quickly can lead to significant impairments in motor coordination, decision-making, impulse control, and other functions, increasing the risk of harm. For some people, these occasions may also include drinking-even binge or high-intensity drinking. Home > Parents & Students > Students > Fact Sheet > Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol OverdoseĬelebrating at parties, cheering a favorite sports team, and enjoying get-togethers after work are common ways to relax or be with friends.
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