Alcohol poisoning signs, symptoms and treatment. Acute alcohol intoxication

Alcoholic poisoning in Russia occupies a leading position among household poisonings. Alcohol accounts for more than 60% of all fatal poisonings. Most deaths (95%-98%) occur before medical care is provided. How to recognize alcohol poisoning, and what measures should be taken to avoid tragic consequences?

ethanol(ethyl or wine alcohol) - a chemical substance of moderate toxic activity, colorless, volatile, flammable. Miscible with water in any quantity, easily soluble in fats. It spreads rapidly throughout the body, easily penetrates biological membranes.

Interesting facts about alcohol

Ethanol is a natural substance for our body. Normally, ethanol is formed during the metabolism of various substances, as well as during fermentation in the intestines. However, its concentration is minimal (0.003 g/l) and does not pose a threat to health.
In the stomach, 20% of the ethanol taken is absorbed, the remaining 80% is absorbed in the small intestine.
On an empty stomach, half of the dose of ethanol is absorbed into the blood in 15 minutes. On average, after 1 hour 30 minutes, the maximum concentration of ethanol is observed in the blood.
Strong (more than 30 degrees) and carbonated alcoholic drinks are most quickly absorbed into the blood.
The absorption rate of ethanol increases with repeated doses and with diseases of the stomach (gastritis, peptic ulcer).
Food in the stomach reduces the rate of absorption of ethanol. In this regard, the consumption of alcoholic beverages on a full stomach is one of the preventions of alcohol poisoning. As a rule, simultaneous consumption of 0.5 liters of vodka by adults will cause alcohol poisoning. However, the same amount of vodka drunk during the day will only maintain a state of intoxication.
Having a good ability to dissolve in fats, ethanol easily penetrates the body through the skin. Fatal cases of poisoning in children are described when alcohol extracts of plants are used for compresses and wraps.
Ethanol easily crosses the placental barrier and is distributed throughout the fetal body. The toxic effect of alcohol on the fetus is much stronger than on the mother's body.
The average lethal dose of alcohol is 300 ml of 96% ethanol in a single dose.
Ethanol is excreted from the body in three main ways: 1) 2-4% of ethanol is excreted through the kidneys, 2) through the lungs 3-7%, 3) up to 90-95% of ethanol is processed in the liver, where it is eventually broken down to carbon dioxide and water.

What are the symptoms and signs of alcohol poisoning?

The first signs of alcohol poisoning

Drinking alcohol can cause three different conditions:

State	Characteristic
Alcohol intoxication 4 degrees of intoxication: Light Medium heavy	The patient's consciousness is preserved, but there may be slight disturbances. A person initially experiences high spirits, emotional arousal, euphoria. Then the thinking processes slow down, both mental and physical activity decrease, consciousness is depressed, the person becomes lethargic, slow, drowsy.
alcohol poisoning	In the case of a coma, they talk about alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol intoxication	The toxic effect of ethanol breakdown products on the body, while ethanol itself is not detected in the blood.

The first symptoms of alcohol poisoning and the mechanisms of their occurrence

What is affected?	Symptoms	Origin mechanism
Gastrointestinal tract	Abdominal pain Diarrhea Nausea Vomit	Pain - a direct damaging effect of ethanol on the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine Diarrhea - malabsorption of water and minerals, fats; a rapidly occurring deficiency of an enzyme necessary for the digestion of lactose Nausea is a sign of general intoxication Vomiting - often has a central character, that is, is associated with the toxic effect of ethanol on the central nervous system
central nervous system	Mental arousal Euphoria Delusions, hallucinations Possible convulsions Violation of attention, speech, perception Impaired coordination of movements Violation of thermoregulation Decrease in body temperature Increased sweating pupil dilation	The damaging effect of ethanol on the nerve cells of the central nervous system Violation of the metabolism of nerve cells, oxygen starvation Toxic effect of ethanol breakdown intermediates (acetaldehyde, acetate, ketone bodies)
The cardiovascular system	Cardiopalmus Redness of the face, pallor of the skin (in a serious condition) Dizziness General weakness, malaise	A patient during vomiting, diarrhea loses a lot of fluid from the body. In addition, due to an increase in the permeability of the vascular wall, fluid from the vascular bed passes into the intercellular space. To compensate for the volume of circulating blood, the body includes a number of compensatory mechanisms: increased heart rate, constriction of peripheral vessels, thus redistributing blood to more important organs.
Respiratory system	Breathing fast, noisy Acute respiratory failure	Damage to the respiratory center, metabolic disorders, development of cerebral edema Compensatory mechanism to restore the acid-base balance. Acute respiratory failure - retraction of the tongue, ingress of vomit into the respiratory tract, reflex spasm of the larynx, bronchi)
Violation of water-mineral balance, kidney damage	Increased urination Decreased urination up to complete absence (in severe stages!)	Ethanol increases urination by reducing secretion antidiuretic hormone(hormone of the hypothalamus that retains water in the body). Also, ethanol removes potassium, calcium, magnesium from the body, disrupting their absorption in the intestine. In the body there is a deficiency of Ca, K, Mg. In severe stages, ethanol damages the structural elements of the kidney.
Liver damage	Pain in the right hypochondrium Maybe: Jaundice of the sclera, skin	Direct damaging effect on liver cells, violation of intracellular metabolism.

Severe alcohol poisoning

In severe cases, the patient falls into a coma, that is, loses consciousness and does not respond to external stimuli (pats on the cheeks, loud noises, tingling, etc.). The concentration of ethanol in the blood of 3 g / l or more causes a coma.
There are 2 phases of alcoholic coma: superficial coma and deep.

Coma phase:	Symptoms
superficial coma	Loss of consciousness Decreased pain sensitivity Floating eyeball movements Different pupils in the eyes (narrowed in one, dilated in the other) Respond to irritation by changing facial expressions or defensive movements The face and mucous membranes of the eyes are often red Excessive salivation Cardiopalmus Dyspnea
deep coma	Complete loss of pain sensation Decreased or absent tendon reflexes Loss of muscle tone Decrease in body temperature Skin is pale, cyanotic Possible convulsions Decreased depth and frequency of breathing Pronounced increase in heart rate (more than 120 beats per minute) Lowering blood pressure

What determines the severity of alcohol poisoning?

Factor	Why?
The amount of alcohol taken	When large doses of alcohol enter the body, especially in one go, the liver (the main organ responsible for the neutralizing function of the body) simply does not have time to process it. And ethanol, as well as the products of its incomplete decay, accumulate in the blood and damage vital organs (brain, kidneys, liver, heart, etc.). A healthy liver of a man weighing 80 kg in 1 hour completely processes only 8 grams. pure alcohol. For example, 100 ml of 40 degree vodka contains 31.6 gr. pure alcohol.
Age	The most sensitive to the effects of alcohol are children and the elderly. In children, the mechanisms of neutralization have not yet fully formed in the liver. In older people, these mechanisms no longer perform their function adequately.
Individual intolerance	Most often, alcohol intolerance and the rapid development of alcohol poisoning occur among people of the Mongoloid race. They have a genetically determined low activity of a special enzyme necessary for the complete breakdown of ethanol (aldehyde dehydrogenase). Intoxication occurs as a result of the accumulation of the product of the incomplete breakdown of ethanol (acetaldehyde).
Overwork, malnutrition, pregnancy, diseases of the liver, pancreas, diabetes.	All of these conditions reduce liver function, including the neutralizing function.
Simultaneous intake of alcohol with medications	The toxic effect of ethanol is enhanced when taken simultaneously with the following drugs: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antidepressants, painkillers (morphine, omnopon), etc.
Impurities and additives	The toxic effect of ethanol increases due to impurities and additives: methyl alcohol, higher alcohols, aldehydes, furfural, ethylene glycol, etc.
Alcohol consumption on an empty stomach	On an empty stomach, half of the dose taken is absorbed into the blood in 15 minutes. The use of alcohol with food, especially with carbohydrate food, significantly reduces the rate of its absorption and thereby reduces the rapid increase in the concentration of ethanol in the blood.

How to drink without getting drunk and avoid a hangover? There are many "proven" folk remedies, but, unfortunately, not all of them work as they should. In the arsenal of medicine there is a reliable remedy - PEPIDOL.
With PEPIDOL, everything is simple: they took 50 milliliters of the solution 15-30 minutes before the feast and 50 milliliters in the morning. Intoxication after drinking alcohol, of course, occurs, but due to the fact that PEPIDOL envelops the intestinal wall, this happens much more slowly. In addition, PEPIDOL is an excellent sorbent. It helps to eliminate poisons, toxins, products of alcohol metabolism from the body. Like and drank, but you feel like a "cucumber". It turns out that PEPIDOL is something like a tool for a real scout, when after drinking you can easily control everything.
It should be noted that PEPIDOL works even when the hangover has already set in. In this situation, you also need to take 50 milliliters of the solution and 50 milliliters after three hours.

Poisoning by alcohol substitutes

Alcohol surrogates- These are various types of liquids that are not designed for ingestion, but they are used instead of alcoholic beverages to achieve a state of intoxication.
Types of surrogates:

Colognes, lotions, various medicinal tinctures (hawthorn, motherwort, etc.)
Technical fluids (brake fluid, antifreeze, windshield wipers, etc.)
Methyl alcohol, ethylene glycol are the most dangerous surrogates.

In general, the symptoms of poisoning with alcohol substitutes are similar to ethanol poisoning. First of all, these are: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, malaise, general weakness, impaired coordination of movements, lethargy, drowsiness, impaired consciousness. However, poisoning with methyl alcohol and ethanol has a number of features and is particularly severe.

Methyl alcohol poisoning

Methyl alcohol is found in: car glass cleaners and solvents. In the body, methyl alcohol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid, which carry out the main toxic effect. Symptoms of poisoning occur 12-24 hours after consumption. Symptoms: headache, nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, malaise, visual impairment(flies, fog before the eyes, double vision, blindness). When poisoning with methyl alcohol, the retina and optic nerve are very often affected, which in many cases leads to blindness. Persistent pupil dilation in case of poisoning is considered an unfavorable prognostic sign. In severe cases, death occurs from respiratory paralysis and impaired cardiovascular activity.

Ethylene glycol poisoning

Ethylene glycol is found in: brake fluid, antifreeze, solvents, glass cleaners. When ethylene glycol enters the body during its decay, glycolic and oxalic acids are formed, which determine the severe course of poisoning. Oxalic acid forms insoluble salts that clog the renal tubules, causing acute renal failure. Severe symptoms of poisoning occur 4-8 hours after the use of ethylene glycol. Symptoms: nausea, repeated vomiting, mental and physical agitation, tremor, convulsions, depression of consciousness, coma. 2-3 days after poisoning, symptoms of acute renal failure occur: acute pain in the lower back, abdomen, urine of the color of "meat slops", a decrease in the amount of urine.

What to do in case of alcohol poisoning?

Do I need to call an ambulance?

Not really

Why?

Yes need!

This must be done as early as possible.

Alcohol poisoning is a serious pathological condition that often leads to death.
Only a specialist is able to objectively assess the patient's condition.
Treatment of alcohol poisoning requires the introduction of a number of medications.
In most cases, the treatment of alcohol poisoning is carried out in the intensive care unit and resuscitation.
Untimely and incorrectly rendered first aid often leads to death. 95% of all deaths from alcohol poisoning occur before first aid is provided.

First aid for alcohol poisoning

What to do?	How?	For what?
Ensure airway patency	Take out the tongue, when it retracts Clean your mouth If possible, use a rubber bulb to remove the contents of the oral cavity (mucus, saliva, vomit residues) In case of excessive salivation, inject 1.0-0.1% atropine intravenously	Ensure an adequate supply of oxygen. Prevent upper airway blockage.
Correctly lay the patient, fix the tongue	The patient should be placed on the side Press the tongue to prevent it from sinking (you can press the tongue with a spoon or finger, it is better to wrap a napkin or handkerchief around your finger so that the tongue does not slip out)	To prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract. Tongue drop is a common cause of death in unconsciousness.
In case of cardiac and respiratory arrest, perform chest compressions and artificial respiration	2 breaths and 30 chest compressions constitute one resuscitation cycle. Repeat until breathing and heartbeat appear or until the ambulance arrives. It is better to do it in pairs, alternately changing so that the clicks are effective.	The method is able to restart cardiac and respiratory activity or support vital organs until specialized help arrives.
Bring to consciousness if the patient is unconscious	Bring a cotton swab with ammonia up to 1 cm from the nose	Ammonia has an awakening effect, stimulates breathing.
induce vomiting (if the patient is conscious!)	Drink 1-3 cups of salt solution (1 tsp to 1 cup of warm water) Take an emetic (ipecac root) in a glass of water 2 tsp.	The procedure is effective first hours after drinking alcohol. Since the complete absorption of ethanol from the digestive tract into the blood takes 40-90 minutes (on an empty stomach). Vomiting is contraindicated in the unconscious state and in the case of a serious condition of the patient. Since there is a high risk of vomit entering the respiratory tract, which can lead to serious consequences, even death.
Perform gastric lavage	If possible, do gastric lavage through a tube Drink as much water as possible, then press on the root of the tongue to induce vomiting. Repeat until clean vomit. (Water can be salted for 1 liter 1 tsp)	The method is effective only for the first hours of poisoning. Within 1-2 hours, most of the ethanol is absorbed into the blood. After 2-3 hours from the moment of alcohol intake, gastric lavage is ineffective.
Warm the sick	Place in a warm room, wrap in a blanket, dress, etc.	Alcohol causes peripheral vasodilation, which is accompanied by a strong loss of heat.
Accept adsorbent(a substance capable of absorbing various types of toxins) activated charcoal, white charcoal, polysorb, entorosgel, etc.	White coal: 3-4 tablets, up to 3-4 times a day Enterosgel: 6 tablespoons, once. Polysorb: Adults 2-3 tablespoons, mixed with ¼-½ cup of water. Activated carbon: 1 gram per 10 kg of patient weight, 1 tab. \u003d 0.25 gr. On average, 30-40 tab. appointment. For greater efficiency, the tablets should be crushed into powder and diluted in 100-200 ml of water. The average daily dose is 20-30 gr., 80-120 tab.	Adsorbents are most effective for the first hours of poisoning. They bind and remove alcohol from the body, which did not have time to be absorbed into the blood.
Take substances that accelerate the neutralization and removal of ethanol from the body	Metadoxyl dose 300-600 mg (5-10 ml), intramuscularly; Or add 300-900 mg of metadoxil to 500 ml of saline or 5% glucose solution, inject intravenously over 90 minutes. Vitamins + Glucose Traditionally mixed in one syringe: 1) Vit. B1 (thiamine) 2ml-5%; 2) vit. B6 (pyridoxine) 3 ml-5%; 3) vit.C (ascorbic acid) 5-10ml-5%; 4)10-20 ml 40% glucose Enter intravenously. Bee honey 100-200 grams in 2-3 doses (honey contains a large amount of fructose)	Metadoxil is a drug created specifically for the treatment of alcohol intoxication. Increases the activity of enzymes responsible for the utilization of ethanol. Thus, it accelerates the processes of processing and removing ethanol. Restores liver cells. Improves the mental state of patients. Do not use in case of poisoning with surrogates (methanol, ethylene glycol), in this case their toxic effect will only increase. Vitamins, glucose, fructose, improve metabolic processes, accelerate the processes of neutralization and elimination of ethanol. Thiamine reduces the risk of alcoholic psychosis.
Restore water and mineral balance	Droppers: Sodium bicarbonate 4%-400 ml Hemodez 400 ml Quartosol, acesol 500 ml Drink up: Pickle (cucumber, cabbage) Mineral water (0.5-1.5 l)	Solutions improve circulation through the vessels, restore the necessary water and mineral balance. Neutralize and remove toxins from the blood.
Accept Hepatoprotectors	Ademetionine (Heptral) 2-4 tablets a day for 2 weeks, 1 tablet = 400mg Essentiale 1-2 capsules 3 times a day, course from 3 to 6 months. 1 caps = 300 mg	Restore damaged liver cells, improve their function, accelerate the processes of ethanol neutralization.
In case of poisoning methyl alcohol or ethylene glycol drink ethyl alcohol	For the first time hours of poisoning to drink high-quality strong alcohol: 200 ml cognac, whiskey, vodka 40-50 ml of vodka 40 deg. every 3 hours 4-methylpyrazole, 10 mg per 1 kg of body weight, together with an aqueous solution of ethanol 200 ml orally, every 3-4 hours	Ethyl alcohol acts as an antidote, it stops the breakdown of methyl alcohol into toxic substances (formic acid and formaldehyde). 4-methylpyrazole (pyrozole, fomepisol) is the newest antidote for poisoning with methyl alcohol and ethylene glycol. The drug reduces the activity of the liver enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase), thereby interrupting the formation of toxic substances from the above alcohols.

What can not be done with alcohol poisoning?

Lay the patient on his back, there is a high risk that he will choke on vomit
Give alcohol again, unless it's methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning
Take a cold shower. With alcohol poisoning, the processes of thermoregulation are disturbed, the body already suffers from heat loss. Cold showers can only make matters worse.
Force the victim to get up and walk. At the time of poisoning, all organs and systems work in extreme mode, and any additional stress can damage them.
Do not leave the patient alone. For example: the victim can lose consciousness at any time, and suffocate if the tongue sinks.
Do not induce vomiting, do not do gastric lavage if the patient is unconscious (at home). There is a high risk of gastric juice entering the respiratory tract and developing acute respiratory failure.

Complications of alcohol poisoning

Acute toxic hepatitis
Acute liver failure
Alcoholic delirium ("delirious tremens"), delirium, hallucinations
Syndrome Mendelssohn(Mendelssohn's syndrome is a serious condition in which acute respiratory failure develops due to the ingress of gastric juice into the respiratory tract). With alcohol poisoning, the syndrome often develops if vomit enters the respiratory tract.

Prevention of alcohol poisoning

Don't drink alcohol on an empty stomach
Do not drink alcohol in large doses
Do not drink alcohol in case of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, overwork, malnutrition
Do not drink alcohol while taking medications (antidepressants, sleeping pills, painkillers, etc.)
Eat a heavy meal before drinking
Eating after drinking alcohol
Try not to combine different alcoholic drinks
Try to take alcoholic beverages in ascending degrees
Do not drink low-quality alcoholic beverages
The best prevention is NOT to drink at all!

Poisoning with alcohol and cheap alcohol is a real threat that poses a danger not only to lovers of strong drinks. And it is very important to distinguish simple intoxication from alcohol intoxication in time. In many cases, this can save your life or those of your loved ones. What are the symptoms of alcohol intoxication and what to do if you are poisoned by your favorite alcoholic drink?

Myth: You can’t get poisoned by expensive elite alcoholic drinks…

Truth: Even high-quality alcoholic beverages in large doses can cause symptoms of poisoning.

Why does alcohol cause poisoning?

In the process of digestion of food in the intestines, 0.4 ppm of alcohol is naturally formed. This amount is considered normal. But any excess of this dose acts on the body like a poison and leads to alcohol intoxication. The main toxic substance found in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol (ethanol).

When ingested, ethanol inhibits the activity of the central nervous system. The higher its concentration in the blood, the more it depresses the respiratory and vasomotor centers of the brain. This explains the appearance of characteristic signs of alcohol intoxication and poisoning.

A single dose of alcohol of 4-12 g per kilogram of body weight is considered fatal. But this indicator is very individual and depends on various factors: body weight, age, gender, predisposition, strength and quality of the drink, on the general state of human health.

Myth: People are less susceptible to alcohol with age...

Truth: Elderly people are more susceptible to the effects of alcoholic substances due to the instability of the water-salt balance of the body.

For convenience, scientists calculate the rate for each in ppm. This is one thousandth of a substance in the body. The legal amount of alcohol in the blood for drivers is 0.16 ppm. To determine the norm used, it is enough to undergo a blood or urine test, or use a compact breathalyzer, which will show the result right on the spot.

For whom is alcohol poisoning more dangerous? It is hard for scientists to say exactly who - a man or a woman - is more susceptible to the action of toxic substances in alcohol. This applies to both original alcoholic beverages and counterfeit. Definitely, it can be argued that children, the elderly, people with diseases of the stomach or the cardiovascular system, as well as pregnant women and the fetus during the gestation period are at risk of death from alcohol substances.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning develops rapidly. Therefore, if timely assistance is not provided, then a person under the influence of toxins will quickly lose consciousness or even fall into a coma. A person in this state cannot sit, stand or perceive information independently.

This is fundamentally different from a simple sleeping drunk, because a person in an alcoholic coma cannot be awakened with slaps, screams or cold water. If he manages to remain conscious, the only sign of functioning will be non-purposeful movements of the head or limbs in the direction of the painful stimulus. There are also other signs of alcohol poisoning that distinguish this condition from ordinary intoxication:

nausea and vomiting;
body cramps;
partial or complete loss of consciousness and inability to communicate;
slow breathing rate (less than 8 breaths per minute);
failure of the respiratory rhythm (pauses between breaths for more than 10 seconds);
a sharp decrease in body temperature;
blueness and pallor of the skin.

There are several stages of alcoholic coma, which are accompanied by a number of symptoms:

with superficial coma the human body is warm and has a more or less healthy color. The pupils of the eyes are constricted, but react to light stimuli. When trying to bring a person to consciousness with the help of ammonia, he reacts with a rather active movement of facial expressions and hands, but does not come to his senses. There is also profuse salivation and uncontrolled urination. Blood pressure in this state is higher than expected.

moderate coma characterized by an increase in the listed symptoms, as well as a relaxation of the muscle tone of the whole body. The reaction to the test with ammonia is much weaker.

in deep coma the skin becomes very pale, sometimes with blue. Hands and feet become cold. Often there is no reaction to external stimuli. The pupils of the eyes are constricted, and when breathing fails, they expand. Arterial pressure drops to a critical level.

In addition, at any stage of alcohol poisoning, the tongue can sink, which blocks the airways. Due to the lack of air, as well as the ingress of saliva or vomit into the trachea, a person can stop breathing and even die.

Also, the signs of poisoning with alcoholic substitutes depend on the type of toxic substance used in the drink. In particular, there are cases when a person was poisoned by the used cosmetic and perfumery substances: perfume, cologne and others.

Often dishonest manufacturers use instead of ethanol, a cheaper, but very dangerous substitute for the body - methanol. It is used for batteries in cars and other equipment. The main symptom of methanol poisoning is vision problems quickly turning into blindness. Later, headaches, pain in the limbs appear, the work of the heart is disturbed and consciousness is clouded, uncontrollable ones appear.

First aid for alcohol poisoning

It is important to know what to do in case of alcohol poisoning. At a critical moment, it can save your life or the life of a person nearby.

The first thing to do is to gently lay the victim of alcohol intoxication on the bed. It is necessary to force the person to lie on his side. It is dangerous to lay it on your back or stomach, as there is a risk of saliva or vomit flowing into the respiratory tract. When vomiting, it is necessary to mechanically clean the oral cavity with the help of improvised means: napkins, handkerchief, towels, etc. Then you need to press the tongue so that it does not sunk.

Myth: first of all, in case of alcohol poisoning, it is necessary to take a drug to cleanse the stomach ...

True: in the first hours of intoxication with low-quality alcohol, especially methanol, activated charcoal or similar agents will not help due to the rapid development of substances in the body ...

If there is a suspicion that the contents of the stomach have entered the trachea, tilt the patient and tap his hand on the back between the shoulder blades. This will induce coughing and clear the airways.

Depending on the person's condition, the following measures should be taken:

Make an attempt to bring a person to consciousness with the help of ammonia. It is not recommended to touch the cotton with ammonia or the vial itself to the skin of the face in order to avoid a chemical burn. If you managed to wake up the patient, you need to give him a drink of warm clean water (3-4 cups) with 1 teaspoon of soda per 1 cup. Then you need to induce vomiting by pressing a spoon on the root of the tongue or in another way. When the vomiting is over, the person should drink strong hot tea.
If the patient does not come to his senses under the influence of ammonia, need to call an ambulance immediately. In this case, it is not recommended to independently induce artificial vomiting to cleanse the stomach.
In a state of superficial coma, the ambulance doctor will flush the person's stomach with a gastric tube, and after that he will quickly return to consciousness. With a coma of moderate or severe severity, the patient needs urgent hospitalization in the toxicology department. Also, the doctor must give the patient an antidote to neutralize harmful substances: an injection of 4-methylpyrazole, an oral dose of folic acid, or 30% ethanol (orally or intravenously).

How quickly a person with alcohol poisoning will receive first aid depends on his life.

The question - what is acute alcohol intoxication is of interest to many drinkers, since this condition appears after taking a large amount of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol intoxication is a severe poisoning of the body with alcohol, which causes irreversible consequences in many internal organs of a person. This condition poses serious problems for the drinker, since the symptoms of alcohol intoxication are not able to withstand every person.

Since this condition is considered poisoning, it is urgent to get rid of it, removing toxins and the remnants of alcohol decay from the body. At home, the treatment of alcohol intoxication is possible only after visiting a doctor - it is impossible to overcome poisoning without taking medications, since they not only relieve the drunkard of the signs of this condition, but also restore the affected organs.

It is known that 3% of alcohol in human blood causes severe intoxication,. If the hangover syndrome is constantly treated by drinking alcohol, this condition quickly develops into alcohol intoxication. It, in turn, causes respiratory failure, short-term hearing loss, as well as a person falling into a coma or cardiac arrest. That is why it is necessary to get rid of alcohol intoxication immediately after the onset of the development of poisoning, which is quite simple to determine in the body. So, how to remove the breakdown of alcohol from the body, as well as quickly get out of a drunken state at home, which causes serious poisoning?

How does toxicity develop in the body?

The poisoning of the body when drinking alcohol proceeds quite quickly, because immediately after entering the stomach, alcohol begins to spread throughout the body with the help of blood flow. After drinking a large dose of strong drinks by an alcoholic, alcohol begins to be quickly and actively absorbed into the liver cells, resulting in their destruction. Why does the liver suffer from alcohol? The fact is that it is this organ that is responsible for the destruction of dangerous elements that enter the body along with food intake, so it begins the first fight with ethanol, which causes severe damage to it. Along with this, the body begins to quickly produce special enzymes that can protect it from the aggressive action of alcohol-containing drinks.

When ethanol breaks down, it creates a strong concentration of acetaldehyde in the body, which. That is why the first sign of the development of intoxication is severe pain in the head.

Important: the level and danger of alcohol poisoning depend on the gender of the person, his state of health and age.

It is quite difficult to completely overcome alcohol intoxication at home, since this requires the intake of certain drugs that improve the overall health of the drunkard. Such drugs are prescribed by a doctor after examining the patient, as well as assessing the condition of the internal organs. Self-administration of drugs is strictly prohibited, because any incorrectly chosen remedy can adversely affect human health!

Symptoms of the development of alcohol intoxication

Before answering the question - how to get rid of alcohol intoxication at home and what to do when it is detected, it is worth correctly identifying the poisoning and not confusing it with a hangover. To do this, it is important to familiarize yourself with the main symptoms of the disease, so that if they occur, consult a doctor in time. According to experts, today there are 3 stages of alcohol poisoning, which differ in symptoms.

Signs of stages 1 and 2 of intoxication include:

, which often turns into vomiting - in this way the body tries to get rid of toxic components on its own;
severe pain in the head, which does not make sense to get rid of - until intoxication passes, they will accompany the patient;
thirst caused by severe dehydration of the body - it mainly appears in the morning and is formed due to the fact that alcohol has a powerful diuretic property due to the production of antidiuretic hormone by alcohol;
dizziness that appears during sudden movements - alcohol can negatively affect the state of coordination, which leads to loss of balance.

You can overcome these signs only after visiting a doctor who will prescribe drugs for alcohol intoxication (pills, dragees), which you should take at home along with the rules that cause quick relief from alcohol poisoning.

Important: the second stage of the disease often goes into the third, the most dangerous for health.

Such alcohol intoxication leads to the appearance of unpleasant and dangerous signs, namely:

loss of consciousness;
impaired movement and coordination;
narrowing of the pupils, which leads to visual impairment;
tremor;
profuse sweat;
lack of intelligible speech.

At home, it will not be possible to do all the necessary assistance to the victim, so the alcoholic must be urgently taken to the hospital. If these signs of alcohol intoxication appear in a drunkard, you can’t hesitate, because every minute can play an important role in treatment.

First aid

Intoxication of the body is a serious disease that claims the lives of many people every year. Therefore, it should be eliminated in a short time. Help with alcohol intoxication is to perform the following methods:

put the patient on the bed and put a wet rag on his face;
give 10 activated charcoal tablets to drink;
give the alcoholic a glass of warm water every 15 minutes;
if possible, remove the victim to fresh air;
give a man a drink of brine that does not contain vinegar.

Alcohol intoxication, the first aid of which is carried out at home, must be treated according to a prescription issued by a doctor - only in this case, its manifestation will soon be absent, and the person will quickly restore his own health and normalize the work of all damaged organs.

How is poisoning treated?

It is now quite easy to treat poisoning, since each correctly prescribed pharmacy will allow you to overcome the disease in a short time, especially if it proceeds in 1 or 2 degrees. Modern medicine in the treatment of poisoning uses several effective methods:

preventing the absorption of ethanol into the blood stream;
the use of droppers that purify the blood from the decay of alcohol;
methods of fast and fast sobering up.

To quickly prevent the absorption of ethanol through the stomach into the blood, the doctor prescribes to the patient an intake of activated charcoal, after which he will need to flush the organ.

For the best effect, the patient should be given 3-4 glasses of water. This removal of toxins and harmful substances will quickly get rid of the decay of ethanol, as a result of which they will not be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing deterioration. After that, the alcoholic will be forced to vomit and intramuscularly injected with caffeine-based drugs.

It is also good to remove toxins and normalize health using methods that promote sobering up quickly. For example, you can remove alcohol from the body with the help of thiamine (vitamin). After its introduction intramuscularly, a person will begin to sober up. It is also possible to effectively overcome intoxication with the help of nicotinic acid, corazol and phenamine. After 20 minutes, the person's condition will be restored, and he will begin to think normally - at this time he can be taken home.

Alcohol intoxication, the symptoms of which are characteristic of this condition, can also be treated with droppers, which will contain a whole complex of vitamins and useful elements. Doctors say: "we get rid of intoxication in this way only in emergency and extreme cases."

Consequences of alcohol intoxication:

disruption of the brain;
the development of blood clots (the emerging picture from this pathology during intoxication is deplorable);
aggravation of the work of internal organs;

Therefore, it is better to remove the decay of ethanol from the body in time to avoid unpleasant consequences for the body. Otherwise, the patient will be prescribed anti-alcoholic drugs, which can be bought at any online store.

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The cause of poisoning can be alcohol if it is of poor quality or consumed in large quantities. Other causes of alcohol poisoning are young or old age, individual intolerance and pathologies in which alcohol is prohibited.

Alcohol poisoning implies a complex of symptoms of intoxication, when ethyl alcohol and its metabolites act as a toxic substance. If a person has taken a surrogate, then the poisoning ceases to be alcoholic: in addition to ethyl alcohol, alcohol substitutes contain other poisons (acetone, methyl alcohol, antifreeze, brake fluid).

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning

First, understand the effect of alcohol on a person. This will help identify the symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Intoxication is the result of alcohol consumption. Increased intoxication usually leads to alcohol poisoning.

to the primary signs alcohol poisoning include emotional arousal: the initial state is perceived by a person as inspiration and "omnipotence". A fairly drunk person begins to talk a lot, his sayings are categorical.

to secondary signs include gradual disruption of the central nervous system and brain. As a result, manifestations of disinhibition arise: judgments become bold and illogical, behavior changes to cheeky or aggressive. Body movements acquire clumsiness, incoherence. With an increase in alcohol intoxication, stunning quickly develops: a person does not perceive reality and does not respond to irritation. The end result of the condition is coma.

Typical symptoms are varied and depend on the degree of alcohol poisoning (mild, moderate, severe or coma). On the part of the gastrointestinal tract, the same signs are revealed as in case of food poisoning: diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting. Other body systems respond to alcohol intoxication in a different way:

impaired attention, speech, motor function;
the appearance of hallucinations;
decrease in blood pressure and body temperature, increased heart rate;
dizziness, weakness;
increased urine and;
dilated pupils, redness of the face.

First aid for alcohol poisoning

First aid for alcohol poisoning is to cleanse the stomach of harmful impurities of alcohol and disinfect. General recommendations:

Let the victim breathe ammonia. To do this, moisten a cotton pad or gauze with it and bring it to the nose of the poisoned person. This will sober him up a bit or bring him back to consciousness. If ammonia is not at hand, use any substance with a pungent odor (for example, vinegar or horseradish).
If poisoned in the mind, rinse the stomach. Prepare a non-concentrated soda solution (1 teaspoon per liter of water) in an amount of 3-5 liters. Induce vomiting by mechanical action on the root of the tongue. After the procedure, give any adsorbent (

Who is a moderately well-fed man everyone knows from a popular cartoon. And who is a moderate drinker, even as a joke, no one in the post-Soviet space can really explain. Perhaps because the problem had such boundaries that it was not up to it to help "professional" alcoholics. And it seems that hands did not reach those who are still on the “warm-up site”. And it should. If only because alcohol affects each person differently. And it would be nice to know who drank and to what extent. You look, someone could give a helping hand earlier, more precisely, on time.

And sometimes the situation confuses all the cards: it’s as if the person is not among those who are “addicted”, but drank a little and with him immediately some kind of convulsions, seizures, loss of consciousness. In rare cases, alcohol poisoning affects a person who does not even drink. We will return to this problem a little lower, but for now, let's still delve into the literature and try to find out if someone has found out the very norm that you can drink. And in general, is there such a rule?

The norm of drinking exists!

Curious Americans studied this problem and found out at what level the waterline is in the glass of a moderate drinker:

for men: no more than two servings of alcohol per day;
for women: no more than one serving of alcohol per day;
a person over 65 years of age - no more than one serving of alcohol per day.

As you can see, there is a difference in gender and age parameters. It is characterized by the presence of water in the body.

How much is one serving of alcohol?

After saying "a" and finding out how much is possible, the researchers went further and specified how much it is, one serving of alcohol:

dry wine or beer: 0.36 liters (340 g);
fortified wine: 0.15 liters (140 g);
vodka and other spirits: 0.05 liters (42 g).

Everyone can relate to the given norms in their own way. Note that they do not apply to people who, for various reasons, should not even approach alcoholic beverages at all:

women on the eve of pregnancy or pregnant women;
patients taking medications that are not compatible with alcohol;
patients undergoing treatment for alcohol dependence;
boys and girls under the age of 21.

Some may object, they say, the ancestors drank, and in our time, sometimes alcohol is recommended, for example, red wine to maintain the efficiency of the heart. We don't argue. But if such a "potion" is taken often or constantly, then over time addiction to alcohol will begin to form and instead of the expected positive effect in the work of the cardiovascular system, problems will arise. Moreover, the same healing effect can be achieved through a healthy diet and regular, and preferably active sports.

You shouldn't relax

A moderate rate of alcohol really lifts a person's mood, a feeling of euphoria and looseness appears. Troubles and unimportant problems lose their sharpness of perception, stress bursts are smoothed out. This is what attracts people to alcoholic beverages. But do not relax and focus on the norms: they affect each person in different ways.

Unfortunately, the period of euphoria from the consumed alcohol has its limit. It doesn't take long to stay on the same level. The concentration of alcohol in the blood disables an adequate perception of reality in the human body and self-control disappears. From the moment of overcoming the limit of moderate drinking, every gram of alcohol entering the body turns into poison. At this stage, signs of alcohol poisoning appear.

Some people even after a small dose of alcohol may feel worse. The reason for this is the individual intolerance to alcohol by the body.

As you know, long-term alcohol consumption affects the vital internal organs, which can cross out a person's life. The limit of permissible drinking for everyone depends on the individual physiological characteristics of the human body. In addition, you should remember the following factors:

gender: the male body copes better with alcohol;
weight: the amount of fat in the body;
the traditional dose of alcoholic beverages.

It should be remembered that young men and women who begin to learn the taste of alcohol are more at risk. They have no experience of drinking, and at least turn down the bravado. Alcohol is very dangerous for women in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when she may not yet be sure of her position. If the mother-to-be drinks during pregnancy, the alcohol can infect or pass on to the fetus. Then the child has pathologies for life.

Alcohol poisoning is usually caused by ethyl alcohol or drinks with more than 12 percent of it. The concentration of ethanol in the blood more than 8 g / l is considered fatal.

The lethal single dose is recognized from 4 to 12 g/kg. These figures may vary depending on the individual tolerance of alcohol by the body.

9 people out of every ten hospitalized with a diagnosis of alcohol poisoning are people who are dependent on alcohol. Fatal poisoning occurs more often than six out of ten cases.

The individual norm does not affect the nature of the signs of alcohol poisoning. They are the same for everyone and proceed in three stages.

At the first stage:

due to additional blood flow, redness of the face is observed;
there is a manic gleam in the eyes;
the person starts talking loudly;
there is a decrease in concentration;
self-esteem is overestimated;
personal characteristics that were previously not noticeable are emphasized.

If at such a moment a glass is taken away from an alcoholic, the next day the poisoning will manifest itself in the form of a hangover syndrome.

The second stage will inevitably come if a person does not stop at the first stage and continues to pour over the collar. But such "heroism" will certainly lead to a complication of the situation.

The third stage, the most severe, has its own symptoms:

vomiting appears;
the drinker ceases to realistically assess what is happening around;
movements are given with incredible effort;
breathing becomes difficult;
paralysis of the respiratory center may occur;
death cannot be ruled out.

Is there bad vodka? There is brake fluid...

Sometimes in medical reports there is information about poisoning with bad vodka. Although the "specialists" from the glass say that there is no bad vodka. Behind the joke lies a serious problem. The body struggles with alcohol surrogates with great difficulty. In addition to alcohol, which is perceived by the body as a poison, they contain many substances that actively affect the liver and brain. They lead to severe consequences for the human body.

Surrogates include liquids containing alcohol and used in modern everyday life and in industry. Alcoholics drink them when wine or vodka becomes unaffordable or nowhere to buy at the moment, and "the soul burns and asks." This category also includes fake alcoholic beverages, ranging from wine and vodka, and ending with low-grade moonshine. In addition to ethyl alcohol, they contain harmful impurities.

Surrogates have their own classification:

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Surrogates containing ethanol or real surrogates:
- medicines: tinctures of hawthorn berries and motherwort, cologne, lotions, technical alcohol;
- household fluids: solvents, various detergents, car brake fluid, antifreeze, and even some types of adhesives. All these liquids are dangerous due to the presence of hydrolytic and sulfate alcohols, impurities of methyl alcohol, essential oils, acetone and other toxic substances.
False surrogates. They are also called liquids that do not have ethyl alcohol in their composition, but they can cause an alcoholic buzz:
- various alcohols - amyl, butyl, methyl, formic, propyl, etc.;
- various liquids for technical use, which contain the above and similar alcohols. A high concentration also carries an increased risk of damage to various internal organs of a person.

Signs of poisoning with alcohol surrogates are manifested:

nausea;
vomiting;
dizziness;
severe headache;
pain in the abdomen.

The patient's condition is no different from the condition after drunken protracted drinking, when alcohol flows like water. But then the body behaves depending on what was drunk and how much.

Methyl alcohol is lethal even at 100 ml. In the first time after poisoning, a person begins to feel sick and vomiting appears. The skin turns red and dries out. On the second day, the condition worsens, thirst and abdominal pain begin to torment, accompanied by a headache. Reduces the calf muscles, sees double.

With complications, a person can lose sight.

The muscles of the back of the head tense up, convulsions occur, the heart rhythm goes astray, pressure decreases. If you drink too much, you may go into a coma. He may stop breathing.

Manifestations of signs of poisoning can be lightning-fast in one direction - to death.

Ethanol is able to partially neutralize methyl alcohol, so in rare cases, ethanol-containing drinks can weaken the patient's condition.

Formic alcohol in the human body causes similar symptoms.

Ethylene glycol is deadly at 150 ml. After a third or half a day, pain in the head, lower back and abdomen appears, then thirst, diarrhea and vomiting, redness and dryness of the skin. In a severe form of poisoning, convulsions begin, and the person loses consciousness.

Heart failure, pulmonary edema with acute liver and kidney failure may be the last diagnosis of the patient.

slight hangover

During many years of drinking practice, mankind not only improved the taste of alcoholic poison, but also developed and improved methods for getting out of a hangover syndrome. A slight hangover in the morning of the day following the feast can be “treated” with a cup of some hot drink - coffee or tea. It would be nice to throw a lemon in it. This will help relieve fatigue and headaches. Whoever has the opportunity, and time permits, can take a steam bath in the morning. Active sweating will help the body cleanse itself of toxins in the body.

severe poisoning

Whoever treats doctors, no matter how, at the first signs of alcohol poisoning, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Even with severe forms, there is a chance to help a person survive. You need to act smart and know how to help. There is nothing new in this - the actions for any poisoning are the same.

Help before doctors arrive

Having called an ambulance, it is necessary to provide the patient with first aid:

cover the patient with something warm, because after drinking alcohol, the blood vessels expand, and the body cools down quickly;
take all measures to free the stomach from the remnants of alcoholic beverages and thus prevent further intoxication. The patient can be prepared with a cold soda solution, forced to drink and induce vomiting. If it is difficult for a person to stand on his feet, it is necessary to lay him sideways so that when vomiting, its mass does not clog the airways;
when the stomach is empty, you need to give the patient 20 tablets of activated charcoal.

If the patient is very ill, and he is not able to control his actions, then it is better not to do a gastric lavage so that he does not suffocate with vomit. In an unconscious state, one should wait for the arrival of an ambulance and control so that the tongue does not sink.

Respiratory failure helps restore subcutaneous administration of cordiamine or caffeine. Artificial respiration is performed in cases where breathing has completely stopped.

A comatose state is a solid sign for concern. It is recognized by its characteristic features:

the appearance of a bluish tint to the face;
cold and clammy skin;
intermittent breathing;
thready pulse.

In a comatose state, the patient needs a resuscitator.

An alcoholic coma can affect the body of a person with an average weight and who usually rarely drinks. But he could not restrain himself and took 400-450 grams of vodka per capita for a short feast. In such cases, the concentration of alcohol in the blood jumps sharply to the mark of 0.3 percent and above.

First aid in case of poisoning with alcohol surrogates

The actions are the same as with conventional food poisoning. First of all, it is necessary to induce a gag reflex.

Before the arrival of doctors:

every two hours, 4-5 times / day. give the patient 50 ml of ethyl alcohol (30%);
during the next three days, periodically rinse the stomach, since methanol leaves the body through the gastric mucosa;
if the patient is unconscious, it is necessary to control the pulse (the area of the carotid artery);
if the pulse is not felt, the person should be turned on his back;
it is necessary to make a precordial blow;
start resuscitation.

It is important to know exactly what poisoned the person. If the reason is in the reception of surrogates, then in this case the proverb “knock out a wedge with a wedge” definitely works. As you know, ethyl alcohol slows down the breakdown of methanol alcohol, so the patient should feel better:

you need to give a little vodka;
lay on the stomach;
turn your head to the side;
unfasten your belt and shirt to make it easier to breathe;
open a window for ventilation;
in case of loss of consciousness, give a sniff of ammonia or vinegar;
smear whiskey with ammonia;
wait for the ambulance to arrive.

As you can see, everything is quite simple. But I would like life to go on without such "trifles". Of course, it is difficult to do without feasts. However, you should not turn them into some kind of cult and get too carried away with alcohol, and even more so with alcoholic beverages of dubious origin.