Problems after drinking alcohol can befall anyone, regardless of social status or the quality of the product consumed. Poisoning with alcohol and its surrogates requires proper detoxification of the body in order to avoid a long recovery period, possible treatment severe consequences. The symptoms of intoxication are approximately the same for everyone; there are differences in individual characteristics, which depend on the state of health and personal tolerance.
What is alcohol intoxication
Alcohol poisoning (ICD code 10 - T51) is the depressing effect on the body of ethanol and its decomposition products (acetaldehyde) during the processing process. Physiological, behavioral and psychological reactions are disrupted. At the same time, alcohol poisoning is more often perceived as exposure to large doses, but there are cases when a small amount of ethyl alcohol is enough to poison the human body.
Primary alcohol poisoning includes a state of euphoria, which manifests itself in impaired coordination of movements, altered perception of reality, and changes in behavioral patterns. What is commonly called a hangover already refers to the secondary process of intoxication, when the body tries to independently remove decay products.
Chronic
For people who do not consider themselves alcoholics, but drink alcohol daily, chronic alcohol intoxication is typical (the “stomach fermentation” syndrome, when ethyl is independently produced in excess quantities, is not considered). In practice, this is total damage to all internal organs from the gastrointestinal tract to the brain. The main problem of this condition is that the human body can no longer get rid of alcohol substrates on its own; against this background, concomitant pathologies develop:
- body weight imbalance (both excess weight and unnatural thinness are possible);
- early degree of arterial hypertension;
- constant tremor of the limbs;
- redness of the skin;
- respiratory system disorders;
- a feeling of severe chills or heat, which alternate in waves;
- anemia;
- peripheral nerve damage;
- excessive sweating.
Acute
One-time appointment for short term 300-400 ml of ethanol or a proportional amount can lead to death, but in most cases acute alcohol intoxication occurs, which can be eliminated with timely medical care. Typical signs of severe alcohol poisoning are: profuse salivation, convulsions, intense redness of the face and palms, problematic breathing, loss of consciousness or borderline state.
Causes
If we take into account psychological reasons poisoning, then it should be noted that drinking alcohol against the background of altered emotional consciousness (stress or extreme joy) leads to an incorrect perception by the body of the effect of ethyl on the brain. In this case, intoxication for a long time does not come, but the person continues to strive for it. At this rate, much more alcohol enters the body than the drinker often allows himself.
Alcohol (acetaldehyde) poisoning can occur even when drinking, for example, one glass of vodka. It all depends on the quality of the drink, the body’s personal tolerance, duration and speed of consumption. In fact, alcohol intoxication occurs due to the decomposition of ethyl alcohol by the liver and the redistribution of organ efforts to get rid of the breakdown products.
Separately, it is worth highlighting poisoning with alcohol not intended for internal consumption: denatured alcohol, methyl alcohol and fakes of unknown composition. In this case, they enter the body fusel oils, frankly poisonous components that are not intended for consumption due to their toxic characteristics.
How does alcohol affect the body?
Exposure to small doses of alcohol in combination with proper nutrition will not cause poisoning of the body. The permissible dosage is determined by the person himself according to his own feelings. An increase in intake volumes leads to intoxication of the body and the appearance of corresponding symptoms. The toxic effect of alcohol extends to all organs and systems:
- Poisoning and cell death. Pure ethanol actively kills living tissue, which is why it is used as universal antiseptic. The widely held belief that alcohol kills brain cells is not entirely true. Exposure to acetaldehyde disrupts neural connections, but only in exorbitant quantities leads to cell death.
- Sexual dysfunction. For the most part, this applies to men. Sperm formation occurs within 75 days. Exposure to alcohol disrupts normal spermatogenesis and leads to the development of defective sperm, so it is recommended to give up alcohol for about 3 months if you plan to conceive a child. Damage to eggs in women, although they are more reliably protected, occurs when chronic alcoholism, since the egg volume is present in the body from birth.
- The fetus in pregnant women may develop abnormalities due to improper functioning of the mother’s organs and systems due to alcohol damage.
- The brain loses normal oxygen supply, neural connections are disrupted, which leads to gradual degradation of mental capabilities, decreased intelligence, and the development of dementia.
- The heart and blood vessels begin to wear out faster than nature intended. Consequences of chronic alcohol consumption – hypertension, impaired heart rate, ischemic disease, heart attacks.
- The gastrointestinal tract suffers from the destruction of mucous membranes by alcohol, peptic ulcers, gastritis develop, and are damaged salivary glands.
- The liver is the main organ where the body breaks down alcohol and begins to remove it from the systems. Ethyl breaks normal functioning and leads to tissue death.
- The kidneys lose their ability to normally remove waste products. Their improper operation leads to an excess of fluid with residues from the breakdown of alcohol in the body.
- CNS. Depending on the intensity of use of ethyl-containing substances, a whole range of problems can develop: from anemia, muscle dysfunction to complete or partial paralysis.
- The immune system is weakened due to a decrease in the production of leukocytes and a general inhibition of body functions by alcohol.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning
The main signs of alcohol poisoning are common to most people. Disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system have similar manifestations regardless of gender, age and social status. Main critical factors The degree of intoxication and the intensity of symptoms remain the quantity and quality of the drink. Standard manifestations of intoxication are as follows:
- euphoria and delirium;
- hallucinations, disorder visual perception;
- decrease in body temperature;
- impaired coordination of limbs, perception of body position in space;
- lowering the threshold of the self-preservation instinct;
- slurred speech, slowness thought processes;
- diarrhea;
- low blood pressure;
- dizziness;
- tremor of hands and feet;
- chills;
- paleness of the skin of the body, against the background of redness of the face;
- general malaise;
- frequent urge to urinate;
- pain in the right hypochondrium;
- nausea, vomiting.
Vodka
Vodka intoxication manifests itself in the same way in all patients, with variations depending on the individual characteristics of the body. Often manifests itself as aching, nagging pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, vomiting, delirium tremens with a sudden stop in the intake of alcohol, dizziness. In critical cases, vodka poisoning of the body leads to an alcoholic coma, which requires immediate hospitalization.
Ethyl alcohol
If we talk about alcoholic products that are classified as food products, the symptoms of poisoning were described above. Further, it all depends on the person and the type of alcohol. For example, the liver of an average adult man will completely neutralize 0.5 liters of beer in about 1 hour. Exceeding this dose leads to the toxic effects of alcohol. Ethanol poisoning manifests itself solely depending on the body’s tolerance, which depends on age, gender, body weight, and nationality.
Surrogate alcohol
To surrogates alcoholic products This includes not only moonshine and low-quality drinks, but also technical liquids that contain ethyl, butyl, methyl and other alcohols. Poisoning with alcohol surrogates is dangerous because chemical combinations enter the body that are not natural for food products(fusel oils from moonshine products can be called the “safest” ones).
Poisoning with such liquids brings increased symptoms: vomiting, headache, diarrhea, tinnitus. Added to this are total chemical damage to the kidneys, liver, heart, and brain. In the case of methyl alcohol, the result of poisoning is often complete or partial blindness due to the nature of the effect. It is important to remember that attempting to consume alcohol substitutes increases the chances of death (even after a small dose) tenfold.
Isopropyl alcohol
Isopropanol is a moderately toxic liquid and is widely used in household or technical products. The most famous solution containing it is the popular “Anti-Freeze”. Due to the characteristic alcoholic smell, some people use it instead of alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol poisoning is similar to regular alcohol poisoning, but has characteristics: pronounced odor of acetone in the breath, continuous vomiting (sometimes containing blood).
What to do if you have alcohol poisoning
The first thing to do in case of obvious alcohol poisoning with severe symptoms is to call ambulance. Most regular drinkers try to deal with intoxication on their own, and turn to doctors only in critical cases: the poisoned person has zero reaction to external influence or the fact of using surrogates (counterfeits). First aid for alcohol poisoning before doctors arrive:
- stop drinking alcohol;
- give access to fresh air, make breathing easier;
- cleanse the stomach of any remaining alcohol that has not yet been absorbed into the blood;
- take any sorbent according to the instructions ( Activated carbon, Medichronal or similar drugs);
- give a saline laxative;
- feed with enveloping food (jelly, viscous porridge like oatmeal).
How to relieve alcohol intoxication at home
Folk remedies effectively relieve poisoning if taken in a timely manner. You don’t need to go to the store for this - most of the ingredients for this kind of medicine are already in everyone’s cupboard or refrigerator. Removal alcohol intoxication at home:
- ensure fresh air enters the room;
- induce vomiting to get rid of the remaining alcohol (for example, drink a solution of potassium permanganate, ammonia-anise drops or 1 teaspoon of powdered mustard per 1 cup of water);
- give a cotton swab soaked in ammonia a sniff (you need to use this method carefully so as not to poison the victim);
- drink hot tea with a little sugar.
IV drip at home
An alcohol intoxication drip quickly removes acetaldehyde and related breakdown products from the blood. The main thing is that next to the victim there is a person with minimal paramedic education. The solution itself can be purchased at any pharmacy: 5-10% glucose + saline solution. In severe forms of alcohol poisoning, doctors use detoxifiers and hepatoprotectors.
Gastric lavage
All methods are acceptable here to flush the body - from enema to provoking vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue. Gastric lavage for alcohol poisoning is intended for one thing - to remove alcohol from the stomach before it is absorbed into the blood. One way is to drink as much water as possible in a short period of time. The main thing is to induce vomiting. The gag reflex is a natural reaction of the gastrointestinal tract to alcohol poisoning. Its absence during prolonged use of ethyl may be an alarming factor that the body is turning off its self-preservation functions.
Alcohol poisoning pills
The most common and affordable medications are drugs and tablets for alcohol poisoning:
- Activated carbon;
- Aspirin;
- No-shpa;
- Enterosorbent;
- Ethylene glycol;
- Polysorb;
- Biotredin;
- Limontar;
- Yantavit;
- Metadoxyl;
- Glycine;
- Cerucal.
Folk remedies
What does detoxification look like using folk remedies (if there is no obvious threat to the patient and you only need to remove the symptoms):
- Honey water. Fructose will help you sober up quickly and get rid of the symptoms of poisoning. The total mass of diluted honey should be approximately 150 grams. The concentration should be chosen so that a person can drink without gagging.
- Diuretic teas.
- Milk.
- Soda solution (1 tsp per 1 glass of water).
- After clearing the stomach of alcohol, an antiemetic soothing infusion of saffron is best: 1 tsp. per glass of boiling water. After it cools down, drink in small sips. In addition, this will help stop the urge to vomit.
- Apple cider vinegar – 1 tsp. half a glass of water. One sip every 10-15 minutes.
- The best remedy for the effects of drinking alcohol is sauerkraut brine.
How long does alcohol intoxication last?
The duration of the poisoning period directly depends on the type of alcohol, personal tolerance (tolerance), and snacks during the feast. Rapid removal of alcohol from the body using the above methods will get a person back on his feet in about 4-5 hours. In this case, echoes of the symptoms of poisoning will remain, but the condition will significantly improve, and the consciousness will be cleared.
If you do nothing, the body will remove the breakdown products of alcohol for several days. The process takes 1-3 days. Symptoms of poisoning may return in waves. It is highly not recommended to treat yourself with alcohol - a new dose will give a temporary impression of improvement, but will increase the period of natural cleansing of the organs.
Good day, dear readers!
I assume that if you start reading this article, then perhaps the time of day is not very good. But still, if you read these lines after alcohol poisoning, then everything is not so bad. You just need to adjust your health a little, and I hope you will find the rules for this adjustment for yourself - first aid for alcohol poisoning in this article.
Without delaying you any longer, let’s begin to look at the symptoms, causes and first aid for alcohol poisoning.
At the beginning, it is worth saying that alcohol intoxication is different from alcohol poisoning. Of course, in essence, intoxication is also an intoxication of the body, since the symptoms of intoxication are not the norm of its functioning, but still, let’s distinguish between these concepts.
Symptoms of alcohol intoxication:
- violation of movement coordination;
- lethargy, impaired concentration;
- eyes become shiny;
- speech disorders - the voice becomes loud, speech is slurred, unclear;
- emancipation, a person becomes overconfident in his capabilities, and often overestimates them;
- The boundaries and measure of alcohol consumed disappear.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning:
- abdominal pain, ;
- dizziness, ;
- violation of movement coordination;
- increased sweating, tearing and salivation;
- red eyes due to burst blood vessels in the whites of the eyes;
- , painful appearance.
Severe alcohol poisoning - symptoms
If alcohol enters the body after severe alcohol intoxication, severe intoxication of the body develops, which is expressed in the following symptoms:
- involuntary urination and defecation;
- disturbances in the functioning of the heart, the pulse becomes weak;
- lips and skin begin to turn blue;
- the respiratory system is depressed, attacks of suffocation may develop;
- Consciousness is impaired and severe dizziness occurs.
At this stage, if you do not stop the further entry of alcohol into the body, do not provide first aid and do not take the victim to a medical facility, a coma occurs, which can be fatal.
Causes of alcohol poisoning
Among the most common causes of alcohol poisoning are:
- consumption of low-quality alcoholic drinks, the so-called “alcohol surrogate”, a small dose of which can seriously harm health;
- consumption of drinks based on ethyl alcohol (ethanol): medical alcohol diluted with water, colognes, lotions, tinctures.
- drinking alcoholic beverages in excess;
- drinking alcohol on an empty stomach;
- consumption of liquids based on butyl, amyl, methyl, propyl and other types of alcohol.
What to do if you are poisoned by alcohol? First aid for alcohol poisoning or severe alcohol intoxication includes the following recommendations:
1. Call an ambulance or try to transport the victim to a medical facility yourself. The faster this is done, the faster doctors will be able to begin the procedure of removing alcohol from the human body, and, if necessary, begin the resuscitation procedure.
2. Gastric lavage. Before the doctors arrive, it is necessary to begin rinsing the stomach until the alcohol is absorbed into the blood and completely absorbed by the body.
It is advisable to call for gastric lavage. To do this, you need to drink 2-3 glasses of warm boiled water and press with 2 fingers on the root of the tongue. If the patient does not have an ulcer, you can add a little soda to the water, this will improve overall effect. If possible, vomiting should be induced until the vomit becomes watery.
Important! For mild alcohol poisoning, rinsing with vomiting can be skipped. IN in this case You can take medications to remove alcohol from your body, as well as generic drugs for alcohol poisoning (point 6), which will do their job perfectly.
3. Lay the victim down. The less the victim moves, the slower the alcohol will spread throughout the body. Just position the patient so that when he vomits, he can freely turn his head to the side, otherwise there is a risk of vomit getting into the Airways. Remove tight clothing from the patient and provide free access to air. When, cover the person with a warm but light blanket.
4. Detoxification of the body. After gastric lavage, it is necessary to remove the remaining toxins or alcohol (poisoning product) from the body.
To cleanse the body of the poisoning product, you need to take an adsorbent: “Activated carbon” (at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight), “Atoxil”, “Smecta”, “Enterosgel”, “Enterosorb”.
Important! Do not give drugs to a person in case of poisoning if he is unconscious or inadequate condition so that he doesn't choke on them.
5. Drink. For a strengthening and cleansing effect on the body, after the above procedures, you can give the patient a drink of sweet tea with coffee or milk.
6. To relieve symptoms If you have a hangover or alcohol poisoning, you can take the following remedies: Biotredin, Limontar, Metadoxil, Alka-Seltzer.
7. In case of loss of consciousness. If the victim has lost consciousness, it is necessary to give him a sniff of ammonia and make sure that his tongue does not stick into the respiratory tract. In the absence of ammonia, you can rub the ears, which will provoke blood flow to the head and help awaken the patient.
8. In case of cardiac arrest. In case of cardiac arrest, begin resuscitation actions - and. In this case, every second is worth its weight in gold.
Important! If the victim has lost consciousness or has a weak pulse, or the heart has stopped, call an ambulance immediately!
The most in an effective way prevention of alcohol poisoning is complete failure from alcoholic beverages, except for use as prescribed by a doctor. Other methods of prevention include:
- do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach, eat before drinking and have a good snack;
- know your dose and don’t drink more;
- do not purchase alcoholic drinks in dubious places, so to speak “from under the counter”;
- if you see a familiar drink at a super discount in a store, think twice, perhaps it’s a palenka that they want to get rid of quickly;
- Don’t drink alcohol with soda;
— when drinking alcohol, do not reduce the strength of the drink;
- Do not combine alcohol with smoking.
Who shouldn't drink at all?
Tragic consequences can occur if a person drinks alcohol following cases:
- pregnancy, as well as 90 days before planning a pregnancy;
- when taking medications;
- during rehabilitation after treatment for alcohol addiction;
- for allergy sufferers;
- children, as well as persons under 21 years of age, because At this time, the formation of the body is still taking place.
And remember, food poisoning, which ends in death, accounts for more than 50% of cases.
How did you, dear readers, manage to overcome alcohol poisoning?
Tags: alcohol poisoning symptoms, alcohol poisoning causes, what to do in case of alcohol poisoning, first aid for alcohol poisoning, remedies for alcohol poisoning, drinking in case of poisoning
When alcohol is consumed systematically in large doses, it accumulates and has toxic effect to all organs, which causes poisoning of the body. The degree of its severity and treatment depend on many factors, and, first of all, on how much alcohol was drunk, as well as on its quality. The first signs of alcohol intoxication appear if the alcohol content in the blood exceeds 0.3-0.4 ppm. Severe poisoning can be fatal.
Stages of alcohol poisoning and their characteristic symptoms
Alcohol intoxication is divided into 3 stages according to severity:
Initial - blood alcohol content is 0.5-1.5 ppm;
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Moderate - up to 3 ppm;
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Extremely heavy - more than 3 ppm.
Signs of moderate intoxication
When drinking alcohol, intoxication at the initial and middle stages in a person is manifested by the following symptoms:
The consequences that come with this, intoxication and its symptoms, are unpleasant, but fixable. If you take measures to cleanse yourself from alcohol and carry out treatment, then after a few hours or days the person returns to a normal state.
How long this will take depends on his health and stamina. What matters first is:
- amount of alcohol consumed;
- how long does a person drink alcohol?
For the same amount of alcohol consumed, symptoms will be more severe in a thin person than in a heavyset person. A woman gets drunk faster than a man from drinking alcohol. This is due to the peculiarity female body. lasts longer, alcohol is eliminated from the body more slowly, therefore, for the “fairer sex” the hangover lasts longer.
If after the stage causing poisoning moderate severity, a person drinks more alcohol (for example, in order to alleviate his suffering according to the principle of “knocks out a wedge with a wedge”), then alcohol intoxication of the third stage occurs. Urgent treatment is required.
Signs of severe alcohol intoxication
In this case, intoxication is manifested by the following signs:
This condition is already dangerous, since there is a high probability of complete loss of consciousness and falling into a coma. Here everything depends on how strong a person’s heart is and how urgently treatment is started. If a person is in a coma, he needs emergency resuscitation care.
How much alcohol do you need to drink for severe poisoning to occur? For a person who drinks alcohol only on holidays, in small quantities, it is enough to drink 150 g of pure alcohol (1 half-liter bottle of vodka) for him to fall into a coma, when he will have to be urgently rescued in the hospital.
What is coma and what are its signs?
Usually occurs when an overdose of alcohol occurs. In case of overdose, intoxication leads to a sharp decline blood pressure, fainting occurs. The only thing that can save him after this is emergency treatment. Coma occurs especially often in young people, teenagers who, having no experience of drinking alcohol, try to assert themselves in this way and drink a critical dose. Sometimes teenagers drink 1 glass of alcohol “for a dare.”
Coma is negative reaction brain for alcohol. Some people have an intolerance to alcohol, and intoxication can occur from a smaller amount of alcohol. It will probably end in death.
Signs of a coma are as follows:
- At the first (superficial) stage, a person’s face turns blue, temperature and pressure drop, and cold sweat. Poisoning leads to increased heart rate and tense muscles. The person loses consciousness, but may still react to ammonia and moan;
- At the second stage, breathing becomes rare and intermittent. The pulse is weak, there is no consciousness, movement of the limbs is impossible, the muscles relax. The pupils do not react to light. Involuntary urination occurs;
- The third stage is a “deep” coma. The pulse is threadlike, the pressure is critically low, the pain reflex and reaction to light are completely absent. The face takes on a gray tint. There is no reaction to ammonia. If treatment arrives on time and the person can be saved, the consequences may be irreparable: kidney failure, swelling, and a stroke may occur.
Treatment for alcohol poisoning
What to do if there is an overdose of alcohol?
In the hospital, first of all, a person is brought to consciousness and given drugs that stimulate the heart and blood circulation. They cleanse the stomach and give diuretics. To cleanse the blood, a solution containing glucose, vitamins and sodium chloride is injected into the patient using a dropper.
At the same time, if intoxication is extreme, drugs are administered that enhance the production of enzymes that break down toxins to speed up detoxification. Hepatoprotectors (means to protect liver cells), as well as psychotropic drugs that normalize a person’s mental and emotional state, are used.
Consequences of chronic intoxication
Chronic alcohol intoxication, which occurs during alcoholism, leads to irreversible changes in the state of all body systems. The consequences are irreversible and depend on how long the “alcohol experience” is.
What to do to reduce the likelihood of poisoning
In some situations, it is impossible to avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol. Therefore, in order to prevent health complications that are possible with alcohol intoxication, it is necessary to take measures in advance to protect the body. It is recommended to do the following before the feast:
- Drink several tablets of activated carbon in advance;
- Before drinking alcohol, drink 1-2 glasses of milk;
- You need to eat a bowl of porridge to keep your stomach full. Drinking on an empty stomach is very harmful, since alcohol is absorbed faster and poisoning lasts longer.
Taking vitamins (C and group B) will support the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
You should try not to mix alcoholic drinks (vodka with beer or champagne), since a mixture of weak and strong alcoholic drinks is more difficult to eliminate than each of them separately.
During the feast, you should drink a lot of plain or mineral water without carbon to avoid dehydration. Sweet and carbonated drinks, no matter how much you drink, do not save you from thirst.
Alcohol poisoning in Russia occupies a leading position among household poisoning. Alcohol accounts for more than 60% of all fatal poisonings. Most deaths (95%-98%) occur before medical attention 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. Mixes with water in any quantity, easily dissolves in fats. It spreads quickly throughout the body and 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 health threat.
- 20% of ethanol taken is absorbed in the stomach, the remaining 80% is absorbed into small intestine.
- On an empty stomach, half the dose of ethanol taken is absorbed into the blood within 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 absorbed into the blood most quickly.
- The rate of ethanol absorption increases with repeated doses and in case of stomach diseases (gastritis, peptic ulcer).
- Food in the stomach reduces the rate of ethanol absorption. In this regard, the consumption of alcoholic beverages at full stomach one of the preventions of alcohol poisoning. As a rule, immediate 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 of children when using alcoholic plant extracts for compresses and wraps have been described.
- Ethanol easily penetrates the placental barrier and spreads throughout the fetal body. The toxic effect of alcohol on the fetus is much stronger than on the mother's body.
- Average lethal dose alcohol is 300 ml of 96% ethanol for a single dose.
- Ethanol is excreted from the body in three main ways: 1) 2-4% of ethanol is excreted through the kidneys, 2) 3-7% is excreted through the lungs, 3) up to 90-95% of ethanol is processed in the liver, where it is ultimately broken down into carbon dioxide and water.
What are the symptoms and signs of alcohol poisoning?
The first signs of alcohol poisoning
Drinking alcohol can cause three various states:| State | Characteristic |
4 degrees of intoxication:
| The patient's consciousness is preserved, but slight disturbances may be observed. At first, a person experiences high spirits, emotional excitement, and euphoria. Then the thinking processes slow down, both mental and physical activity, depression of consciousness occurs, the person becomes lethargic, slow, and drowsy. |
| If coma develops, they speak of alcohol poisoning. |
| 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 | Mechanism of occurrence |
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| During vomiting and diarrhea, a patient 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, narrowing of peripheral vessels, thus redistributing blood to more important organs. |
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Severe alcohol poisoning
In severe cases, the patient falls into a coma, that is, loses consciousness and does not respond to external stimuli (patting the cheeks, loud sounds, tingling, etc.). Ethanol concentration in the blood of 3 g/l or more causes coma.There are 2 phases of alcoholic coma: superficial coma and deep.
| Coma phase: | Symptoms |
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What determines the severity of alcohol poisoning?
| Factor | Why? |
| When large doses of alcohol enter the body, especially at one time, the liver (the main organ responsible for the detoxifying function of the body) simply does not have time to process it. And ethanol, as well as the products of its incomplete breakdown, accumulate in the blood and damage vital important organs(brain, kidneys, liver, heart, etc.). A healthy liver of a man weighing 80 kg completely processes only 8 grams in 1 hour. pure alcohol. For example, 100 ml of 40 proof vodka contains 31.6 g. pure alcohol. |
| Children and the elderly are most sensitive to the effects of alcohol. In children, the neutralization mechanisms have not yet fully formed in the liver. In older people, these mechanisms no longer perform their function sufficiently. |
| 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 a product of incomplete decomposition of ethanol (acetaldehyde). |
| All of these conditions reduce liver function, including its detoxifying function. |
| The toxic effect of ethanol increases when taken simultaneously with the following drugs: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antidepressants, painkillers (morphine, omnopon), etc. |
| The toxic effect of ethanol is increased due to impurities and additives: methyl alcohol, higher alcohols, aldehydes, furfural, ethylene glycol, etc. |
| On an empty stomach, half the dose taken is absorbed into the blood within 15 minutes. Drinking alcohol with food, especially with carbohydrate foods, significantly reduces the rate of its absorption and thereby reduces fast growth ethanol concentrations in the blood. |
How to drink without getting drunk and avoid a hangover?"Verified" folk remedies a lot, but, unfortunately, not all of them work as they should. There is a reliable remedy in the arsenal of medicine - PEPIDOL.
With PEPIDOL everything is simple: take 50 milliliters of 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 remove poisons, toxins, and alcohol metabolism products from the body. You seem to have drunk, but you feel like a “cucumber”. It turns out that PEPIDOL is something like a remedy for a real intelligence officer, when after drinking you can easily control everything.
It should be noted that PEPIDOL also works when a 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 with alcohol substitutes
Alcohol substitutes- This different kinds liquids that are not intended for internal consumption, but 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 and ethylene glycol are the most dangerous surrogates.
Methyl alcohol poisoning
Methyl alcohol is found in: car window 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 after consumption. Symptoms: headache, nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, malaise, visual impairment(floaters, fog before the eyes, double vision, blindness). Methyl alcohol poisoning often affects the retina and optic nerve, which in many cases leads to blindness. Persistent dilation of the pupil during 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 cleaner. When ethylene glycol enters the body during its breakdown, glycolic and oxalic acid are formed, which determine severe course poisoning Oxalic acid forms insoluble salts that clog the kidney tubules, causing acute kidney failure. Severe symptoms poisoning occurs 4-8 hours after consuming ethylene glycol. Symptoms: nausea, repeated vomiting, mental and physical agitation, tremors, convulsions, depression of consciousness, coma. 2-3 days after poisoning, symptoms of acute renal failure: sharp pains in the lower back, abdomen, urine the color of “meat slop”, decreased amount of urine.What to do in case of alcohol poisoning?
| Do I need to call an ambulance? |
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| Not really | Why? |
| Yes need! This must be done as early as possible.
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First aid for alcohol poisoning
| What to do? | How? | For what? | |
| Ensure airway patency |  |
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| Position the patient correctly and fix the tongue |   |
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| In case of cardiac and respiratory arrest, perform indirect massage hearts and artificial respiration |  |
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| Bring to consciousness if the patient is unconscious |  |
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| Induce vomiting (if the patient is conscious!) |  |
| for the first time hours after drinking alcohol. Since complete absorption of ethanol from digestive tract into the blood for 40-90 minutes (on an empty stomach).
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| Perform gastric lavage |   |
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| Warm the patient |  | Place in a warm room, wrap in a blanket, dress, etc. |
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| Accept adsorbent(a substance capable of absorbing various types of toxins) activated carbon, white carbon, polysorb, entorosgel, etc. |  | 3-4 tablets, up to 3-4 times a day
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| Take substances that accelerate the neutralization and removal of ethanol from the body |  |
2)vit. B6 (pyridoxine) 3 ml-5%; 3)vit.C ( ascorbic acid) 5-10ml-5%; 4)10-20 ml 40% glucose Administer intravenously.
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| Restore water-mineral balance |  | Droppers:
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| Accept Hepatoprotectors |  |
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| In case of poisoning methyl alcohol or ethylene glycol drink ethyl alcohol |  | For the first time during poisoning, drink high-quality strong alcohol:
| Ethanol acts as an antidote, it stops the breakdown of methyl alcohol into toxic substances (formic acid and formaldehyde). 4-methylpyrazole (pyrosole, fomepizole) 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 should you not do if you have alcohol poisoning?
- Lay the patient on his back, there is a high risk that he will choke on vomit
- Give alcohol again only if it is not poisoning with methyl alcohol or ethylene glycol
- Take a cold shower. With alcohol poisoning, thermoregulation processes are disrupted, and the body already suffers from heat loss. A cold shower can only make the situation worse.
- Force the victim to get to his feet and walk. At the time of poisoning, all organs and systems are working in extreme mode, and any additional stress can lead to damage.
- Do not leave the patient alone. For example: the victim may lose consciousness at any moment and suffocate if the tongue becomes retracted.
- Do not induce vomiting, do not perform gastric lavage if the patient is unconscious (at home). High risk of getting hit gastric juice into the respiratory tract and the development of acute respiratory failure.
Complications of alcohol poisoning
- Acute toxic hepatitis
- Acute liver failure
- Alcoholic delirium (“delirium tremens”), delirium, hallucinations
- Mendelssohn syndrome(Mendelssohn's syndrome - serious condition, in which acute respiratory failure develops due to gastric juice entering the respiratory tract). With alcohol poisoning, the syndrome often develops when 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 if you have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, overwork, or lack of nutrition.
- Do not drink alcohol while taking medications (antidepressants, sleeping pills, painkillers, etc.)
- Eat a big meal before drinking alcohol
- Snack after drinking alcohol
- Try not to combine different alcoholic drinks
- Try to take alcoholic drinks in increasing degrees
- Do not drink low-quality alcoholic beverages
- The best prevention- DO NOT drink at all!
Human body can take normal doses of alcohol without any harm. But with excess consumption, in addition to the nervous system, internal organs also suffer: liver, heart, gastrointestinal tract. Alcohol intoxication may contribute to the manifestation hidden diseases or exacerbation of chronic ones. Then the failure of one of the organs may be added to the already serious condition, which may result in the death of a person.
Alcohol intoxication manifests itself with the following symptoms: confusion, loss of balance, vomiting, severe headache, fainting. If alcohol intoxication occurs quite often, that is, the body is constantly poisoned with acetaldehyde, then in the long term this threatens cirrhosis or liver cancer. Manifestations of alcohol intoxication and its consequences for the body The consequences of alcohol intoxication can be very serious. Depending on what you drink, they are divided into three stages: mild alcohol intoxication mainly affects the psyche. Average degree affects the entire nervous system as a whole. Severe intoxication does not leave any human organ healthy; if the damage is too severe, death can occur.
Alcohol poisoning
The consequences of alcohol intoxication have their own mechanism. Alcohol taken from the stomach through digestive system enters the blood and from there into the liver cells. Excessive doses of it kill the protective filter and the organ becomes vulnerable to poison. In response, substances begin to be produced that try to speed up the process of breaking down alcohol. This releases a heavy toxin - acetaldehyde, which affects many organs and systems, but mainly affects the brain. With particularly severe intoxication, a coma may occur. It is not necessary to consume huge doses of alcohol; the main thing here is how many grams of alcohol are per kilogram of the victim’s weight, as well as the degree of resistance of his body. Therefore, children, women, disabled people, elderly and elderly people, people suffering from chronic diseases are at risk and can get poisoned without “overdrinking”. Those who drink alcohol regularly, perhaps daily, are particularly affected. They will face not only alcoholism, but also a whole bunch of somatic diseases caused by chronic poisoning body.
Alcohol detoxification
In case of alcohol intoxication, you cannot self-medicate; you must urgently call a team of toxicologists or narcologists. Our medical center has an excellently equipped specialized department, where the patient will not only be brought out of the state of intoxication using the method and program, but will also be helped to regain good health and ability to work. In addition, we have an emergency call team that will arrive at any specified address at any time with the service.
In case of severe alcohol poisoning, it is better not to hesitate, since we are talking about a person’s life. The most serious complication is the onset of coma, when even doctors will need the help of resuscitators.
While relatives are waiting for doctors to arrive, you can place the victim on something soft, turning his head to the side so that if nausea occurs, he does not choke on vomit. There is no need to try to perform gastric lavage on your own, especially if the patient is confused or does not understand what is happening. This cannot be done for the same reason: if reflexes are impaired, he may simply choke.
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