Alcohol poisoning coma chances of survival. Alcohol intoxication coma

Severe ethyl alcohol poisoning, accompanied by loss of the body's response to any external stimuli, is called alcoholic coma. At the same time, there is oppression respiratory centers, nervous system, impaired thermoregulation of the body, vomiting and other symptoms. The condition must be stabilized by providing first aid and then calling a doctor. The development of symptoms does not depend on whether the person is a binge alcoholic or a person who has drunk too much alcohol - it is enough to drink about 400 grams. vodka to get loading dose and fall into a comatose state.

Causes and consequences of alcoholic coma

Alcoholic coma occurs when the blood alcohol concentration is more than 3 g/l; if the value is exceeded to 5 g/l, a fatal outcome is likely. This has the effect of:

On the brain. Neurotoxic effects are characterized by a decline in excitation and transition to a state of inhibition respiratory system, autonomic nervous system, thermoregulation of the body.
Convulsions, weakness, swelling, decreased blood volume and decreased blood pressure, pain syndromes in the area of the heart, chest, abdomen - this is hypovolemia caused by ethyl alcohol. The next stage is loss of consciousness, when the patient can no longer independently control his body.
The blood sugar level drops incredibly, since the breakdown of ethyl requires a lot of energy, and the easiest way for the body to “take” raw materials from blood sugar. Such a decrease in level causes coma, and the phenomenon is observed not only in those who drink vodka, but also beer, wine, and others. low alcohol drinks. Hypoglycemia is a frequent accompaniment of cold, which is why alcoholism among teenagers who drink beer in the cold is so scary. By increasing insulin activity, ethanol lowers blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of coma by at least 15%.

Stages of coma

A comatose state can overtake a patient when the concentration of alcohol in the blood ranges from 3 ppm. Alcoholic coma has several degrees of development:

The first stage is characterized by the following symptoms:

Constriction of the pupils;
Violation of facial expressions, facial muscle spasms.

But at the same time, all the body’s reactions to irritation with ammonia are preserved. To prevent deterioration, the patient needs to rinse the stomach, give fluids and monitor the body’s reaction. A mild alcoholic coma passes in about 6-7 hours. Absorbed into the blood, ethanol begins its destructive effect, so calling a doctor will come in handy.

Important! The first stage is characterized by a blood alcohol concentration of up to 5 ppm. Improvement in the patient's condition occurs when the level decreases to 3.5-4 ppm; sometimes first aid is enough to bring the patient out of the disease without additional treatment.

Signs of 2nd degree alcoholic coma are:

Relaxation of muscles to the point that a person is like a “sack of flour”;
Lack of reaction to ammonia;
Gastric lavage does not improve.

The condition is possible with a blood alcohol concentration of 6.5 ppm. The coma lasts approximately 10-12 hours, but the alcohol is gradually broken down, as a result of which an improvement in the condition is possible.

To distinguish the third stage of coma, which is called deep, it is enough to pay attention to following signs:

Absence of all muscle reflexes, relaxation of the sphincter, bladder;
Absence of pain, tactile reactions, as well as reactions to ammonia and light;
Constriction of the pupils;
Breathing disorders;
Convulsive syndromes of the whole body.

Important! If symptoms of second-degree alcoholic coma are visible, then the disease is not always amenable to self-treatment. It will only help emergency hospitalization. The third stage requires the intervention of a toxicologist, professional equipment and special knowledge.

First aid for coma

In any case, you must call an ambulance! But in parallel with this, carry out auxiliary actions:

Place on the stomach, slightly turning to one side, so that the patient does not suffocate when vomit comes out.
Provide constant warmth, as the patient will freeze due to impaired thermoregulatory function.
Give ammonia to smell, offer a drink (if the patient can drink): lightly brewed tea, milk, sweet still water.
Constantly check the accumulation of vomit and, if necessary, clean the mouth and throat with a finger wrapped in a cloth.
To prevent mucus from accumulating in the nasal passages, use a syringe.
Make sure that your tongue does not sink in; to do this, push your lower jaw forward. The easiest way to do this is to press on the lower corner of the jaw and chin with your fingers, and then slightly pull the jaw towards you.
Move away objects that the patient might hit if he falls into a convulsive state.

Important! If laryngospasm is observed and the patient cannot breathe, then a tracheotomy is needed. It is impossible for a non-specialist to perform the operation, therefore, the more thoroughly the mouth and nasal passages are cleaned of vomit and saliva, the lower the risk of suffocation for the patient.

In the case when a severe alcoholic coma occurs, all auxiliary processes are reduced to forcing the person to breathe: artificial respiration, cardiac massage (indirect), monitoring his condition and a mandatory urgent call to the doctor.

Treatment and consequences

Healing from illness involves cleansing the body of ethyl alcohol. This is done by washing, drip administration of vitamins and nutritional fluids. To restore ventilation of the lungs, an atropine injection is given and an oxygen mask is applied. In addition, medications are prescribed: glucose, B vitamins, medications to restore the functionality of the heart muscle and vascular tone.

The recovery process lasts from 6 to 12 hours. The prognosis depends on the complexity of the coma stage, and it is not a fact that the consequences will be reversible: dysfunction of the liver, brain and other organs is not always completely curable.

The worst consequences are the third degree of alcoholic coma, which are expressed in damage to the striated muscles. Compression leads to the destruction of muscle tissue, so the patient begins to suffer renal failure, anemia, uremia. After emerging from a coma, the patient experiences unbearable pain in affected muscles, pressed by weight own body. At the same time, we should not forget about changes in the nervous system and brain - these consequences are the most terrible. A return to the previous life is no longer possible, brain functions are not restored and the personality, one way or another, degrades.

Alcohol coma is pathological condition, which develops against the background of alcoholism. Treatment alcohol addiction is a very difficult and long journey. Half of patients who are dependent on alcohol-containing liquids die from complications caused by excessive consumption. And the other half leaves the world due to accidents.

For healthy person a dose of alcohol of 300–500 ml is considered toxic, and if you drink 1600 ml, then signs of severe poisoning will begin to appear ( painful sensations in the abdomen, vomiting and faintness). A dose of more than 1800 ml leads to the development of coma (blueness of the skin, noise when breathing, decreased body temperature).

But unfortunately, the state of alcoholic coma occurs not only in alcoholics, but also in light drinkers. A person can drink a small amount of alcohol during a feast and plunge into a coma. Below, in more detail, why this occurs this state, its main symptoms, first aid and treatment.

Reasons for the development of alcoholic coma

Ethyl alcohol, when entering the human body, causes general intoxication. A lot of people think that drinking a little alcohol can improve their mood and make them feel better, but in reality this is not the case. These sensations can manifest themselves at the first stage of the influence of ethanol on human organs and systems.

At the second stage of the influence of alcohol on the body, sleep disturbances and indifference to other people are noted. The third stage is characterized by inhibition of the basic functions of the brain, which are responsible for the functioning of the human body.

The brain suffers greatly from alcoholic drinks

The state of alcoholic coma develops if the amount of ethyl alcohol in circulatory system exceeds the threshold of 3%, after which severe alcohol intoxication occurs. There are cases when even small doses of alcohol (200–500 ml) contributed to plunging a person into a coma, and at a very high cost. a short time. Ethyl alcohol has the ability to be rapidly absorbed through mucous membranes.

Five parts of the total volume of alcohol consumed is distributed in bloodstream, and the remains are absorbed in the intestines.

Factors that influence the speed of attack comatose state:

volume of alcohol consumed;
empty stomach;
percentage ethyl alcohol in the drink.

Small doses of alcohol-containing liquids can be quickly eliminated from biological fluids(sweat, urine), as well as during breathing, but large volumes of alcohol accumulate in the body. This also applies to the concentration of ethanol; the greater its content in the drink, and accordingly, its percentage in the bloodstream increases.

It is believed that if the indicator is exceeded 0.7 ppm (‰), a state of oblivion will also develop. 0.7 ‰ corresponds to 500 ml of pure 96% ethyl alcohol, which a person with a standard build drank in a few hours. When alcoholic products are present in the hematopoietic system at a rate of 6–8 g per liter of blood, death occurs.

Each organism is a separate individual system, and it’s not a fact that he will react exactly as described above. These indicators are average and frequently encountered, and therefore they are taken as a basis. Someone may become comatose when lower standards, and for some they may be significantly overestimated.

Symptoms of impending coma

Serious consequences can be prevented by recognizing the first symptoms of an alcoholic coma. Thanks to this knowledge, you can even avoid hospitalization. Potential victims should be monitored very closely. When drinking another dose of alcohol, a person becomes disoriented.

He cannot understand where he is, how to get to this or that place, and dizziness sets in. The skin on the face becomes pale, the pupils shrink, a feeling of general weakness and fatigue appears, slight muscle contractions are possible, and sometimes cramps. These signs suggest the development of an alcoholic coma.

Constriction of the pupil is one of the signs of an impending coma

If you follow certain measures, you can avoid a coma; the main rule is the speed of reaction. The victim needs to empty his stomach very quickly by inducing vomiting, then he should try to drink 6 pieces carbon tablets, and it needs to be placed on its side. If you follow these rules, you can avoid an alcoholic coma.

The person will sleep well, clarity of thinking will return to him, but in the morning he will be tormented by a terrible hangover. In addition, it joins headache, and also possible stomach upset, nausea, sometimes turning into vomiting. If there are no problems with the respiratory and of cardio-vascular system, then you can refuse hospital treatment.

The patient should be surrounded by complete peace, there should be no sharp sounds or bright lights, since these factors contribute to the recurrence of headaches and irritability. You should drink plenty of fluids so that alcoholic products leave the body faster and avoid dehydration. If you have a headache, you can take a painkiller.

Stages of alcoholic coma

In a comatose state, a person is unconscious and does not show any signs of life when trying to bring him back to reality by inhaling ammonia vapor, loud noises or light blows to the face. Alcoholic coma develops in several stages. At every stage there will be comas different symptoms, which will help determine how affected the human body is. There are three stages of coma.

First stage

The first stage of coma is loss of consciousness. The victim's arms and legs may make erratic, unregulated movements. Possible reduction smooth muscle(stomach, bladder, intestines), and as a result spontaneous urination and vomiting. The skin on the face becomes bluish or reddish.

The pupils narrow, but the light reaction is present. A large amount of salivary fluid is released from the oral cavity and because of this, breathing becomes frequent and wheezing. Tachycardia is observed, blood pressure is within normal limits or slightly elevated.

Lack of consciousness is a reason to call an ambulance

Second stage

The second (middle) stage of the coma is characterized by a decrease in the patient’s excitability, the entire muscular system relaxes. Blood pressure decreases and bradycardia develops. The victim's pupils do not react to the light source. Breathing becomes shallow and slows down. Spontaneous separation of urine and feces often occurs.

Third stage

The third (deep) stage of coma has the following symptoms: the patient’s breathing becomes very rare, the rhythm is disturbed, and the pause between inhalation and exhalation increases. Oxygen starvation begins and as a result, the skin becomes bluish and at the same time pale. You can feel the release of sticky sweat to the touch. It is formed as a result of cardiac dysfunction, the pulse is practically not palpable, and blood pressure drops sharply.

Redistribution of blood in the body leads to poor blood supply to the kidneys, which can lead to acute kidney failure. Urine becomes dark red, mixed with blood. The result of death at this stage is acute respiratory or heart failure.

Providing first aid to the victim

If a person is unconscious and does not react in any way to loud sounds or patting the cheeks is a sign that an ambulance must be urgently called. In most cases, a person who is at the first stage of oblivion, after a certain time, comes to his senses on his own. But you shouldn't risk his health.

Timely first aid can save a person’s life.

If 6 hours have passed and no visible changes have occurred in the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, then the second stage of the coma has begun, and it is no longer possible to do without the help of medical personnel. This condition is close to fatal, so you should help yourself medical care impossible. There is a set of measures that must be taken before the ambulance arrives and which will save the patient’s life.

Before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to provide first aid first aid, it consists of several stages:

The victim must be placed on his left side. It is necessary to fix it in a stable position, for this it is necessary left hand pull forward and right leg bend at the knee area.
If there is vomit, it is necessary to clear the oral cavity of it. Forefinger should be wrapped in a small piece of fabric and released Airways.
If vomit with mucus impurities gets into the nasal passages, then it cleanses them medical staff. For these purposes, they use suction; at home, you can use a small syringe.
Possible retraction of the tongue, followed by cessation of breathing. To avoid this situation, the patient’s head should be tilted back and the lower jaw should be pushed forward as much as possible ( thumbs need to press on the corners lower jaw, and at the same time press on the chin with your index finger).
If there are convulsions, you should hold the victim very tightly in order to avoid injury from surrounding objects.

Complications due to alcohol coma

If you start timely treatment, and follow the doctor’s recommendations, the patient will come out of the coma in the next 4 hours. Despite promptly provided first aid and fast work doctors, the consequences of an alcoholic coma are inevitable. There are non-fatal and fatal complications. Non-fatal ones include: headache, bruises, moderate injuries, memory problems.

Death of brain cells leads to serious memory problems

The severe consequences of a coma include:

development inflammatory process in pulmonary tissues, due to aspiration;
death of brain cellular structures;
acute renal failure (ARF).

The inflammatory process develops due to the aggressive effect of gastric juice on nearby tissues, including the lung. An infectious agent may be added, which significantly worsens the situation. The cellular structures of the brain are very sensitive to large doses of alcohol, which significantly affects cognitive functions (memory, thinking, attention, speed).

With prolonged compression of muscle tissue, under total mass the human body develops acute renal failure. As a result of this, in renal tubules myoglobin enters, which clogs them. Because of this, a person in a coma must sometimes be moved and the position of his body changed.

Recovery period

If the victim was in a comatose state for no more than 6 hours, then the chance of restoring basic vital functions is very high. But in this case, in the future a person must adhere to the “No alcohol” principle. Alcoholic coma lasting more than 12 hours has a poor prognosis. During the recovery period, medical personnel and relatives of the patient should focus on restoring the functions of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

The attending physician prescribes special complex, which includes: vitamin and mineral preparations, means for restoring water and electrolyte balance, hepatoprotectors, drugs to improve cerebral circulation. It is impossible to recover from the consequences of a coma on your own. This will require highly qualified medical care.

Treatment of alcoholic coma is a very long and labor-intensive process.

Methods of treating patients in a comatose state

According to ICD 10, alcoholic coma is assigned code T 51, and it is also identified as a separate disease. All of the following procedures and activities are carried out only in a hospital setting, by specially trained personnel and under the supervision of the attending physician. IN medical institution carry out a gradual removal of a person from a coma, according to the method described below.

The victim's stomach is washed until clean water by using gastric tube. If the procedure is performed without using a probe, aspiration may occur, which may result in pneumonia. With help intravenous infusion, injected into the patient’s body: 0.9% sodium solution chloride and 5% glucose solution, the total volume should be about 2 liters. In order to reduce blood acidity, 4% sodium bicarbonate solution is administered.

To withdraw excess liquid diuretics (Lasix) are used from the body. The patient is given a urinary catheter to monitor the amount of fluid infused and released. Alcohol coma leads to oxygen starvation brain, which can subsequently lead to cerebral edema, with subsequent mental impairment, it is because of this that fluid volumes should be monitored.

Due to the fact that the patient’s body receives solutions in large quantities, they additionally use osmotic agent Mannitol. When atropine sulfate is administered, salivation decreases and mucus stops forming in the lungs. In addition, the medicine improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and prevents the heart rate from slowing down.

Hormonal and vascular drugs used to adjust indicators blood pressure. To eliminate the adverse effects of ethyl alcohol on the cellular structures of the central nervous system, use: ascorbic and nicotinic acid, as well as B vitamins.

Quitting alcohol is the most the right step avoid consequences

In particularly severe cases (respiratory arrest), it is necessary to use an endotracheal tube, which is inserted directly into the trachea. To cleanse the bronchi and lungs of vomit, I use suction or a bronchoscope. IN mandatory a course of antibiotic therapy is necessary to avoid inflammation of the lung tissue.

Unfortunately, alcoholism is the number one problem in our society, and accordingly a large number of people suffer because of it. Alcoholic coma belongs to the category of fatal conditions that claims many lives. Therefore, at the first symptoms of a potentially developing coma, you should immediately call an ambulance. Thanks to the speed of reaction and first aid, many lives can be saved.

Alcoholism – the most terrible disease, classified as chronic. The consequences of such a pathology are dangerous. With prolonged abuse of alcohol-containing products, a person experiences a global disruption of the functioning of all internal systems and individual organs.

Alcoholic coma is one of the health-threatening consequences of heavy drinking. Severe intoxication of the body, which occurs against the background of complete loss of all reactions. The consequences of an alcoholic coma are considered the most destructive and directly life-threatening person. What should you do in this case?

Alcohol coma is fatal in most cases.

The word “coma” itself is borrowed from Greek and means “drowsiness, oblivion.” But the term used in modern medical practice, has nothing to do with oblivion (drowsiness). In a person in an alcoholic coma:

A sharp decline respiratory functions and ventilation of the lungs can lead to work stoppage bronchopulmonary system, which leads to the death of a person.
Almost all reflexes are absent, including swallowing and coughing. This creates dangerous situations in which the victim is unable to cough and spit out vomit.

Deadly dangerous situation can develop in any person who may not even suffer from alcoholism. Sometimes it’s enough to taste alcohol for the first time to fall into a coma.

The essence of the syndrome

On average, to develop alcoholic coma, it is enough to consume 400-450 g of alcohol. But this is an average. For each person, the lethal dose is individual. It depends on the level of health, availability chronic diseases, amount drunk and age of the person.

How does the syndrome develop?

Alcoholic coma develops due to the occurrence of several combined factors. But the catalyst for a fatal condition is always alcohol. When a person is unable to cope big amount ethanol metabolites, deep intoxication of internal systems occurs, the result of which is a coma.

In its development, alcoholic coma goes through three stages. Let's look at them in more detail.

Alcohol coma develops faster in women

Brain disorders

The main culprit of coma is neurotoxic effects ethanol metabolites on brain regions. The excitement that manifests itself in the initial stage of intoxication very quickly gives way to complete inhibition of the areas of the brain responsible for the functioning of the body. Suffer from:

thermoregulation;
respiratory center;
vegetative system.

Decreased blood volume

This pathological condition is called hypovolemia. Ethyl alcohol provokes the development of large foci of tissue swelling in the body. Because of this, improper distribution of intracellular fluid begins, which leads to a drop in oncotic blood pressure and the development of hypovolemia. This condition is expressed by the following symptoms:

weakness;
drop in blood pressure;
loss of consciousness;
muscle cramps;
temperature drop;
pain in the peritoneal area.

Drop in glucose levels

Ethyl alcohol contributes to the development of hypoglycemia. Ethanol requires the body to increase the expenditure of special enzymes that break down alcohols. The lack of enzymatic substances, in turn, causes a drop in glycogen levels in the liver, which leads to a sharp decrease in glucose in the blood lymph.

One of the reasons for the development of alcoholic coma is hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia that develops due to alcohol abuse leads to alcoholic coma in 10-13% of cases.

The situation and the risk of developing hypoglycemia is aggravated in cold conditions. This is explained by the body’s growing costs for self-heating, which requires glucose reserves.

Stages of alcoholic coma

Comatosis provoked by alcohol poisoning occurs against the background of a profound disruption of the functioning of the most important nerve centers. Signs and symptoms of alcohol coma vary depending on the stage of the process. Doctors classify the development of the syndrome into three stages.

Stage 1 (resorption)

At initial degree development of a comatose state, the victim can be brought to life by cleansing the stomach. At this stage, which lasts about 4-7 hours, ethanol is just beginning its destructive activity and is gradually absorbed by the cells of the internal tissues.

Alcohol coma is classified into three stages

At this level, the concentration of ethanol in the blood serum is characteristic of about 4 ppm. If the volume of alcohol does not exceed 5 ppm, it is possible independent exit from coma.

Symptoms

Signs of stage 1 alcoholic coma are characterized by the following symptoms:

constriction of the pupils;
violation of facial expressions;
increased salivation;
maintaining response to lighting;
noted defensive reaction for ammonia.

With this degree of the syndrome, the victim experiences disruptions in the functioning of the central cerebral cortex. The person stops feeling pain. May happen uncontrolled urination due to relaxation of the sphincters of the urinary canal.

At this stage, blood pressure is still normal, although there is some increase in heart rate. When breathing, you can hear hoarseness and shortness of breath. A person suffers from increased tone masticatory muscles. Sometimes it is so great that the victim is unable to talk or breathe.

Stage 2 (superficial coma)

The level of ethyl alcohol metabolites in the blood is increasing. When its concentration is 6-6.5 ppm, a person enters stage 2 of alcoholic coma. This condition lasts about 10-12 hours. During this time, ethanol breaks down and its level gradually drops (this phase is called “elimination”).

Symptoms

At this stage, a person is no longer able to come to his senses on his own. He needs urgent hospitalization. Superficial alcoholic coma stage 2 has the following symptoms:

complete relaxation of muscle tone;
lack of reaction to inhalation of ammonia vapor;
even after clearing the stomach the person does not come to his senses.

At this stage of development of coma, the victim is characterized by visible changes in breathing. It becomes superficial and very frequent. An increase in tachycardia is also noted - the pulse can increase to 100 beats/minute.

According to statistics, mortality from alcohol poisoning the tallest

Stage 3 (deep coma)

At this level of development of the syndrome, the concentration of ethanol in the victim’s blood reaches 7-7.5 ppm. This is the most difficult stage, fraught with especially dangerous consequences. If the victim is not transported to the toxicology intensive care unit in time, there is a high chance fatal outcome.

Symptoms

Define this degree Comatosis can be based on the following signs:

constriction of the pupils;
sometimes seizures develop;
disappearance of the reflex to light;
respiratory dysfunction;
temperature drop to +35⁰С;
absence of all muscle reflexes;
disappearance of pain reaction;
there is no response to inhalation of ammonia vapor.

This degree of coma occurs against the background global problems with peripheral circulation. This leads to the development of acrocyanosis.

Acrocyanosis – a sharp decline blood supply to small capillary vessels. The main symptom of this syndrome is cyanosis skin(especially the nasolabial triangle) and sudden paleness of the face.

A significant drop in blood pressure leads to the appearance of a thread-like and very weak pulse. At this stage, the functions of the respiratory system are inhibited, and significant disturbances in water-salt metabolism occur. Signs of dehydration and heart failure are rapidly increasing.

How to help a person

If the victim shows the first signs of coma after drinking alcohol, you should immediately call an ambulance. A person can only be helped by emergency assistance and should consult a doctor regardless of the stage of the coma. While waiting for a team of doctors, the patient can be helped on his own.

For coma stages 1 and 2

The person should be turned onto his stomach. Position him so that his head is turned to one side and hangs down slightly. This is necessary so that when possible vomiting the person did not suffocate on vomit. To prevent the temperature from dropping too sharply, the victim should be covered with a blanket and brought into the room. warm room(if a person lost consciousness on the street).

First aid for alcoholic coma

Then, while waiting for the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to carry out the following procedures:

Try to revive him with ammonia.
Give the patient a warm drink. You can offer tea (very sweet) or milk. Warmed drinks are necessary to restore electrolyte balance.

In severe coma 3rd degree

The deterioration of a person’s condition and the development of alcoholic coma poses a real danger to human life. The only thing that can help in this case before the ambulance arrives is to prevent the heart from stopping. The condition of the victim should be maintained with indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration.

Drug therapy

Treatment of severe coma begins with complete cleansing the human body from alcohol metabolites. Doctors carry out resuscitation measures and procedures aimed at stopping further absorption of ethanol into the blood from the digestive system. To do this, doctors:

The gastrointestinal tract is completely washed using a probe.
Conduct infusion therapy(dropper) with physiological solutions, with the addition of soda, glucose, insulin and a group of vitamins.
They give an injection of Atropine to relieve profuse salivation(saliva secreted by an unconscious person can flow into the trachea and stop it).
To improve and stabilize cardiac activity, caffeine-based drugs are administered.
The lungs are ventilated to bring the victim out of coma.
Then the stomach is cleansed again using a nasogastric tube. A solution is also injected through the probe activated carbon for complete absorption of remaining toxins.

Medical care for alcohol coma

After a person has regained consciousness and recovered from coma, he is prescribed a course of vitamins to prevent the development of hypovitaminosis. Vitamins C and B1 are especially useful. These compounds effectively restore heart function and strengthen the tone of blood vessels.

Rehabilitation period

A person has a chance to completely rehabilitate his health, provided that the coma lasted no more than 5-6 hours. Of course, the main rule is a complete abstinence from any consumption of alcoholic beverages.

If the coma lasted more than 10-12 hours, it is much more difficult to predict the person’s condition after rehabilitation. The main thing that the victim has to do in this case is to restore all the functioning of the heart and circulatory system.

You can most fully return to your condition after an alcoholic coma only with the help of professionals, while carefully following all the doctors’ instructions and not refusing specialized help.

Consequences of coma

Having learned what an alcoholic coma is and its consequences can be expected to be extremely unfavorable. With timely assistance, a person can come to his senses after 3-4 hours. But even this short-term immersion in alcoholic coma is enough for the development irreversible consequences. Doctors include the following situations as the most common outcomes of coma:

Dementia. Global destruction of brain cells, which occurs due to intoxication of alcohol metabolites, significantly reduces the intellectual level and can lead to a decrease in mental abilities.
Pneumonia due to aspiration. The destruction of the mucous tissue of the lungs is caused by the aggressive action of gastric juice, which, when the body is completely immobilized, can enter the lungs. The addition of a secondary infection significantly worsens the condition and development of the disease.
Kidney failure in acute phase. The syndrome is formed due to prolonged compression body weight, which is devoid of muscle reflexes. That is why an injured person who is in an alcoholic coma should often be turned over and changed body position.

Remember that alcoholic coma is the most terrible consequence intoxication of the body due to alcohol. This condition leads to human death in 70% of cases. And you can save him only by immediately calling an ambulance. Only timely medical intervention can help the victim return to life.

The tradition of accompanying feasts and holidays with strong drinks has come long ago, and they are still popular today. Especially in big noisy company Time flies by, and stack after stack is released at the same time.

How much to drink and what to choose depends on a person’s preferences for types, brands, strength, price and quality. But in any type of drink you need to look for good brands and verified names, otherwise poisoning can be fatal.

Any alcoholic drink includes ethanol different dosage. It is a neuroparalytic poison that affects all the most important vital organs of a person.

The percentage of alcohol in drinks is determined by its type, and the rate of entry into the blood depends on this. Excessive passion for alcohol threatens to turn into alcoholism or poisoning, which does not cause anything positive in the body.

There is no longer any doubt that alcoholism is considered a disease, and a severe and chronic disease that causes irreparable harm to a person’s health and well-being.

Prolonged drinking on an empty stomach leads to severe consequences amazes the most important organs, leaving the initial relaxation somewhere behind. Following this comes an alcoholic coma.

When does alcohol coma begin?

The most vulnerable to this danger are teenagers and the elderly, whose bodies cannot cope with the load. internal organs. The greatest danger is that coma affects not only people suffering from alcoholism, but also those who drink little and infrequently.

The main reason coma is considered to be excessive drinking and the threat increases with increasing portions. Prolonged drinking on an empty stomach leads to disastrous consequences.

If the concentration of alcohol in the blood is 3 ppm, there is a risk of alcoholic coma. And for this you don’t need much at all - drinking 300-500 g of vodka over a short period of time is enough, and the body begins to hurt. Especially when strong alcohol is consumed.

If this figure increases to 5-8 g/l of ethanol, then a mortal threat to life arises. The amount of safe drinking is completely individual for each person. For some people, a small amount of drinking leads to an alcoholic coma, while for others, this dose increases.

The threat of coma is determined by a number of reasons:

the amount of alcohol drunk, the more drunk, the more serious the consequences;
the strength of the drink consumed - it is indicated on the packaging;
climatic conditions. In the heat of summer, alcohol acts faster;
ethanol tolerance. Allergic reactions happens to almost non-drinkers too
the physique of the drinker - a large and obese person can drink more;
habit of alcoholic drinks;
how often they are used;
lack of snacks, which threatens with serious consequences, and high-calorie food slows down the rate of alcohol absorption by half - this reduces its concentration in the blood.

The first glasses of alcohol bring pleasant excitement and quickly lift your mood, which is replaced by indifference and drowsiness. Subsequently, breathing slows down, thermoregulation is disrupted and brain functions are inhibited.

Use large quantity Ethyl alcohol causes a serious blow to the central nervous system, leading to breathing problems and heart failure.

3 stages of coma development

The first stage is characterized by changes in brain function.
The patient is unconscious, does not feel pain, and does not respond to sound. He cannot move, but there are random twitches of the limbs and pectoral muscles.

Vomiting and slight salivation appear. There is a weak reaction to the presentation of cotton wool soaked in ammonia with some change in facial expressions.

The skin of the face becomes purple, breathing is frequent and intermittent, wheezing is heard in the bronchi.
In the second stage, there is a complete loss of consciousness, frequent and shallow breathing accompanied by wheezing in the chest, spontaneous urination and salivation.
In this case, the muscles are usually completely relaxed, even to gastric lavage there is almost no visible reaction. Blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, pulse reaches 100 beats per minute. There are no sensations of pain, disturbed vital functions brain, the pupils react poorly to light.
In the third, or so-called deep stage You can observe a decrease in a person’s temperature to 35°.
Blood pressure also drops, the pulse is weak and difficult to palpate, breathing is heavy and slow to a complete stop, spontaneous salivation and urination.

The skin becomes moist, sticky and pale with a bluish tint. The muscles weaken, which can lead to the tongue retracting and vomit entering the trachea.

Urine becomes brown in color, which is an indicator of the development of kidney failure.

Symptoms of alcoholic coma

The first signs of the initial stage of coma are dizziness, poor orientation in a familiar place, when a person cannot find the right room.

The face turns pale, the pupils narrow, convulsions or muscle twitching occur, and vomiting occurs. At this time, you can prevent the development of the disease. To do this, you need to stop drinking alcohol, induce vomiting to cleanse the stomach and give him 5-6 tablets of activated carbon. Lay the patient on his side so that he can warm up well - cover with a blanket.

Need to offer drinking plenty of fluids- warm tea or milk, juice and water will do. This will help remove the remaining alcohol from the body faster. The more liquid, the faster the toxins will be released. If your heart is not bothering you, then you can be treated at home.

In the morning, the patient will suffer from a hangover and a headache that does not go away for a long time. The ethanol removal process lasts up to 12 hours.

Only 10% is excreted from the body by breathing, with sweat and urine, the rest is broken down in the liver.

First aid

If you lose consciousness, you must urgently call an ambulance. Often initial stage coma goes away on its own within 6 hours, if there are no disturbances in the functioning of the heart and breathing, but it is not worth taking such a risk.

The sooner first aid is provided, the more effective it will be. will undergo treatment. Before the ambulance arrives, first aid must be provided. What is it?

First of all, it is necessary to clear the mouth of vomit to prevent it from entering the respiratory tract, which can lead to suffocation. Then the person is laid on his side, the left arm is extended forward to stabilize the position, and the leg is bent at the knee. When convulsions occur, it is necessary to protect from bruises.

Further assistance is provided medical workers. Upon arrival, the ambulance team clears the victim’s nasal passages of mucus and vomit.

By providing air access with the help of a tongue holder, the tongue is fixed, preventing it from sinking. The next step is to remove ethyl alcohol from the body. In this case, gastric lavage is done using a tube. It is dangerous to rinse the stomach at home; it can lead to aspiration.

The further treatment process, depending on the degree of coma, requires serious consideration. Patients in a coma are given atropine to reduce the excessive production of saliva and mucus in the lungs. It does not allow the pulse to slow down and stimulates the heart.

To remove toxins from the blood intravenous administration saline solution with glucose 20%, insulin (20 units) and sodium bicarbonate. To stimulate the normalization of heart function, injections of caffeine and cordiamine are prescribed using the method of forced diuresis.

To prevent the consequences of hypoxia, which can lead to swelling of the brain, diuretics are prescribed that quickly remove fluid. For precise definition to determine the amount of fluid injected and released, a catheter is inserted into the patient’s bladder.

When blood pressure decreases due to dysfunction of the adrenal glands, prednisone or hormonal drugs are used.

Vitamins B and C strengthen the cells of the nervous system from harmful influence alcohol breakdown products. If breathing problems occur and enter the respiratory tract, the pulmonary trunk and bronchi are cleansed and forced ventilation of the lungs is performed. Subsequently, antibiotic treatment is prescribed to prevent pneumonia.

Consequences of alcoholic coma

Specialists medical institution make an incision on the skin and trochea to allow air to enter from external environment. When providing timely assistance and treatment, the victim comes out of the coma within 4 hours.

The mildest consequences are headaches, bruises and abrasions, memory impairment. Other complications may lead to more severe disorders or even death, so you can’t joke and put off calling a qualified doctor in this case.

Coming out of the first stage of coma for the most part passes without a trace for further well-being, not counting the morning signs of a hangover and short-term loss memory.

Being stationary for a long time, the muscles are compressed under the weight of the body. As a result of brain dysfunction in the third - deep phase Problems arise with memory deterioration, dementia develops, and aggression and inhibition appear in behavior. The ability to speak is lost and limited.

Myoglobin is excreted from collapsing muscle fibers by the kidneys, clogging the channels, which is the impetus for the development of renal failure. Swelling and subsequent muscle atrophy brings suffering from severe pain and leads to necrosis.

The person loses the ability to walk. Gastric juice when entering the respiratory system, it has a detrimental effect on lung tissue, causing pneumonia.

conclusions

You should not hope at the first signs of improvement that you will be able to immediately get down to business or go to work.

The rehabilitation period usually lasts at least 6 hours, but can last half a day. All this time, you need to take the above measures, drink more water and most importantly, do not continue to drink additional alcoholic beverages.

If you drink too much, you need to identify alcoholic coma in time and take a number of measures. Emotions and experiences will not help here, much less moral teachings. Therefore, only quick, timely medical intervention can save the life and health of the victim.

No pharmacy or advice from friends can do what a specialist can do. At the first signs of an alcoholic coma, you should call an ambulance. You also need to be sure to monitor the quality of the products you consume, because a hangover can occur even from low dose poor quality product.

Excessive alcohol consumption has a negative effect on the body - everyone knows this. But too much high dose can lead to very dangerous consequences. Including a condition called alcoholic coma. As is known, quite often leads to fatal outcome.

Alcoholic coma: causes. The reason for the development similar condition is intoxication of the body with ethyl alcohol. In fact, it is not possible to determine the exact amount of alcohol that is lethal. Firstly, everything here depends, first of all, on the individual susceptibility of the body to alcohol. Some people feel sick after just a few glasses of strong drink, and some, on the contrary, are very resistant to the effects of ethanol.

It also matters general state the body - the level of immune defense, the condition of the liver, the presence of other diseases. In addition, alcoholic beverages should not be consumed on an empty stomach - this way ethyl alcohol is absorbed into the blood faster. It is worth paying attention to the concentration of ethanol - if it is above 12%, then intoxication will be more severe.

As a rule, a coma develops when the body contains 3 g of ethanol per liter of blood. If this indicator increases to 5 grams, then the probability of death is high.

Alcoholic coma: main symptoms. In medicine, it is customary to distinguish three main stages in the development of such a coma.

Stage one, or superficial coma. The man loses consciousness. Then it can begin severe vomiting or hypersalivation. Extremities are observed. The patient's pupils are constricted, but all basic reflexes are preserved. The skin of the face becomes bluish.
Stage two. At this stage, the breathing of the poisoned person noticeably slows down. If you listen to the pulse, you will notice that it is very weak and fast. Muscle tone and natural tendon reflexes disappear at this stage, but the person still reacts to pain. A characteristic sign of coma is involuntary defecation and urination.
Stage three, or deep alcoholic coma. If you listen to a person’s pulse or breathing, you will notice that they are rare, weak and irregular. At this stage, all reflexes disappear and the patient no longer reacts to pain. The pupils dilate greatly, the skin acquires an even more pronounced, bluish tint.

If a person is not provided with medical assistance, it is likely that a deep drug-induced coma will lead to death. In most cases, death occurs as a result of suffocation by one’s own vomit or a sunken tongue (muscles lose tone). If the concentration of ethyl alcohol in the blood increases sharply, respiratory arrest or cardiovascular failure may develop.

In any case, moderate and severe forms of alcoholic coma are fraught with serious consequences for human body- renal failure, myorenal syndrome, acidosis, hypokalemia and blood thickening.

Alcoholic coma: treatment. The first thing to do is call a medical team. Until this time, it is necessary to provide the patient with first aid. To begin, place the person on a flat surface and turn his head to the side - this way he will not choke on vomit. Also watch his tongue - if he starts to sink, then you need to hold it. When breathing or breathing, it is necessary to perform a heart massage and do

As for drug treatment, then it all depends on the degree of damage to the body. As a rule, doctors first clear mucus from the airways and provide required amount oxygen. In more severe cases, the patient is connected to an artificial respiration apparatus.

Gastric lavage is also carried out - a tube is used for this purpose. To remove ethanol from the blood, glucose is also administered intravenously to the patient.

It is worth noting once again that alcoholic coma is a very dangerous condition, which requires immediate medical attention.