Recognize and Treat Alcohol Poisoning

Drinking too much alcohol is dangerous. Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions, such as breathing and your gag reflex (causes you to choke something out). Too much alcohol can inhibit these functions and can ultimately kill you through alcohol poisoning.

Steps

 * 1) Recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning. The symptoms you will see if someone is suffering from alcohol poisoning include:
 * 2) *Mental confusion, coma, or person cannot be woken up
 * 3) *Vomiting
 * 4) *Seizures
 * 5) *Slow Breathing- fewer than eight breaths per minute
 * 6) *Irregular Breathing- 10 seconds or more between breaths
 * 7) *Hypothermia, bluish skin color, and/or paleness
 * 8) Call 911 immediately if the person has these symptoms. As you wait, perform CPR ONLY IF YOU ARE CERTIFIED TO DO SO (if there is no carotid pulse and they are not breathing) and make sure their airway remains unblocked.  Try to warm them if they have a low body temperature.
 * 9) Put the person on their side so if they vomit they won't choke.

Tips

 * Be aware that if alcohol poisoning goes untreated, the victim could have a seizure, permanent brain damage, or die.
 * Don't assume that the person will "sleep it off." Alcohol continues to enter the bloodstream after the person falls asleep.
 * Make sure the person does not choke to death on their vomit.

Warnings

 * Don't binge drink. It's not good for you in any way.  Even if you never get alcohol poisoning, you will most likely damage your liver, which you need for your entire life.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Administer Adult CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
 * How to Use an AED and Do CPR
 * How to Call 911
 * How to Quit Drinking Alcohol

Sources and Citations

 * Based on Facts about Alcohol Poisoning
 * WebMD article
 * Wikipedia Article