Acute Alcohol Poisoning
What is Acute Alcohol Poisoning?
Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks enough alcohol to cause the central nervous system to dramatically slow down. Breathing and heart rate become slower and slower, the person loses consciousness and may slip into a coma and die.
Alcohol poisoning is most likely to happen when someone drinks a large amount of alcohol very quickly. Because the liver can only process 1 drink per hour, a person's BAC can continue to rise for several hours reaching a potentially deadly level.
Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks enough alcohol to cause the central nervous system to dramatically slow down. Breathing and heart rate become slower and slower, the person loses consciousness and may slip into a coma and die.
Alcohol poisoning is most likely to happen when someone drinks a large amount of alcohol very quickly. Because the liver can only process 1 drink per hour, a person's BAC can continue to rise for several hours reaching a potentially deadly level.
Signs and what to do
If you see any of these:
- The person is semi-conscious or unconscious
- 8 or fewer breaths per minute
- 8 or more seconds between breaths
- Cold, clammy, pale, or bluish skin
Do this:
- Call EMS (911 or 9-911 on campus) immediately
- Clear the person's airway
- Put the person on his/her side (prop up with pillows)
- Stay with the person until EMS takes over
This is an emergency. Make the call!
Too much alcohol will kill a person. Never leave an intoxicated person alone.
Good Samaritan Alcohol Policy If a student calls 911 to seek help for a student experiencing an alcohol-related emergency, both may be eligible for the policy. If policy criteria are met, no violation is entered on the students' record for:
View the complete policy description
Too much alcohol will kill a person. Never leave an intoxicated person alone.
Good Samaritan Alcohol Policy If a student calls 911 to seek help for a student experiencing an alcohol-related emergency, both may be eligible for the policy. If policy criteria are met, no violation is entered on the students' record for:
- Possessing or presence of alcohol
- Disturbing the peace
- Dangerous Conduct
View the complete policy description
How much alcohol does it take for someone to die?
Everyone is different and the amount of alcohol it takes to kill also varies. In general, risk starts around 0.30 BAC and increases as BAC increases. Some recent deaths:
| Name | School | BAC Level |
| Gordie Bailey | University of Colorado | BAC .328 |
| Samantha Spady | CSU | BAC .43 |
| Jason Reinhardt | Minnesota State, Moorehead | BAC .36 |
| Nathan Roberts | Ohio U. | BAC .36 |
| Stephen Petz | Ferris State | BAC .42 |
| Kevin Lawless | Iona | BAC .34 |
| Scott Kruger | MIT | BAC .40 |
| Brad McCue | Michigan State | BAC .44 |
| Nicholas Trout | Canon City High School | BAC .404 |
| Joseph Michael Osborne | Colorado Mountain College | BAC .302 |
| Drew Speirling | Western Michigan State University | BAC .22 |
| Blake Hammontree | Oklahoma University | BAC .42 |
Two closely related causes of death:
Choking
Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex (which prevents choking). A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions.
It is common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to vomit. If someone is unconscious and begins vomiting, they could choke to death on their own vomit. That is why it is so important to prop the person in his/her side using pillows, and not let the person like on his/her back.
Mixing Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol can be dangerous when mixed with medication or other drugs. Below are some examples.
Sedatives
Using alcohol with GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine, barbiturates, tranquilizers or sleeping pills will multiply the sedative effects of both drugs, which can slow down your central nervous system enough to cause unconsciousness, coma and death. GHB and Rohypnol have been used as date rape drugs because of this dangerous combination.
Marijuana
Because marijuana suppresses the gag reflex, you may not be able to throw up alcohol when your body needs to.
Opiates/pain killers
Mixing alcohol with narcotics such as heroin and codeine or pain killers such as Darvon, Oxycontin and Vicodin slows down the central nervous system and can cause coma and death.
Prescription and over the counter drugs
Over 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol. Alcohol's effects are magnified by medicines that depress the central nervous system, such as sleeping pills, antihistamines, antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and some painkillers. In addition, medicines for certain disorders, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, can have harmful interactions with alcohol. Using alcohol with a prescribed drug or an over-the-counter drug may affect your liver's ability to metabolize the medication and can decrease the medication's effectiveness. The combination of drugs can also multiply the effects of the alcohol and the medication and may cause liver damage. It's best to call a pharmacist to ask about drinking alcohol when taking a prescribed or over-the-counter drug.
Examples
Bradley Barrett, Arkansas: 12 beers and one ounce of hydrocodone (Vicodin)
Bennet Bertoli, Colorado State University: BAC .123, Alcohol and methadone combination
