Alcohol intoxication
Behavioural and physical changes due to the consumption of alcohol / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alcohol intoxication, also known in overdose as alcohol poisoning,[1] commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation,[10] is the behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol.[6][11] In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main psychoactive component of alcoholic beverages, other physiological symptoms may arise from the activity of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol.[12] These effects may not arise until hours after ingestion and may contribute to the condition colloquially known as a hangover. The term intoxication is commonly used when large amount of alcohol is consumed along with physical symptoms and deleterious health effects.
Alcohol intoxication | |
---|---|
Other names | Drunkenness, ethanol intoxication or internal damage by alcohol[1][2] |
The Drunkenness of Noah by Michelangelo, 1509 | |
Specialty | Toxicology, psychiatry |
Symptoms | Mild: Mild sedation, decreased coordination[3] Moderate: Slurred speech, trouble walking, vomiting[3] Severe: Decreased effort to breathe, coma[3] |
Complications | Seizures, aspiration pneumonia, injuries, low blood sugar[3][4] |
Usual onset | Over minutes to hours[5] |
Duration | Several hours[5] |
Causes | Alcohol (ethanol)[6] |
Risk factors | Social environment, impulsivity, alcoholism[5][7] |
Diagnostic method | Typically based on history of events and physical examination[6] |
Differential diagnosis | Hepatic encephalopathy, Wernicke encephalopathy, methanol toxicity, meningitis, traumatic brain injury[6] |
Treatment | Supportive care[6] |
Frequency | Very common (especially in the Western world)[8] |
Deaths | c. 2,200 per year (U.S.)[9] |
Symptoms of intoxication at lower doses may include mild sedation and poor coordination.[3] At higher doses, there may be slurred speech, trouble walking, and vomiting.[3] Extreme doses may result in a respiratory depression, coma, or death.[3] Complications may include seizures, aspiration pneumonia, low blood sugar, and injuries or self-harm such as suicide.[3][4] Alcohol intoxication can lead to alcohol-related crime with perpetrators more likely to be intoxicated than victims.[13]
Alcohol intoxication typically begins after two or more alcoholic drinks.[5] Alcohol has the potential for abuse. Risk factors include a social situation where heavy drinking is common and a person having an impulsive personality.[5] Diagnosis is usually based on the history of events and physical examination.[6] Verification of events by witnesses may be useful.[6] Legally, alcohol intoxication is often defined as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of greater than 5.4–17.4 mmol/L (25–80 mg/dL or 0.025–0.080%).[14][15] This can be measured by blood or breath testing.[5] Alcohol is broken down in the human body at a rate of about 3.3 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) per hour,[6] depending on an individual's metabolic rate (metabolism).[16] The DSM-5 defines alcohol intoxication as at least one of the following symptoms that developed during or close after alcohol ingestion: slurred speech, incoordination, unsteady walking/movement, nystagmus (uncontrolled eye movement), attention or memory impairment, or near unconsciousness or coma.[17]
Management of alcohol intoxication involves supportive care.[6] Typically this includes putting the person in the recovery position, keeping the person warm, and making sure breathing is sufficient.[4] Gastric lavage and activated charcoal have not been found to be useful.[6] Repeated assessments may be required to rule out other potential causes of a person's symptoms.[6]
Acute intoxication has been documented throughout history, and alcohol remains one of the world's most widespread recreational drugs.[18][19] Some religions consider alcohol intoxication to be a sin.[5][20]