According to a recent CNN news report, alcohol poisoning is responsible for roughly six deaths per day, which means every four hours someone dies from drinking too much. In one year, approximately 2,221 people in the U.S. will die from what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call “the leading preventable cause of death.” And it all circles back to a single act: drinking too much alcohol.
Alcohol Poisoning Is Not a Myth
Alcohol is dangerous when a person drinks too much, becomes intoxicated, and gets behind the wheel of a car. We all know this to be true. Surprisingly, a great many teens and some adults think alcohol poisoning is a myth when it is, in fact, a serious and very real medical condition.
Consuming too much alcohol puts our body at risk. Not only does it affect the heart, but also the liver and the brain. Although most commonly thought of as a means of relaxation, alcohol is a toxin the liver is tasked with filtering out of the blood. What the liver can’t filter out backs up in the bloodstream. According to the NHS, when the concentration of blood alcohol climbs too high, it has a severe impact on the body.
- Breathing can slow and grow irregular, along with heartbeat.
- The gag reflex becomes far less sensitive.
- Confusion and severely slurred speech occur.
- Body movements and coordination can be completely lost.
- As the liver falls behind in “scrubbing” alcohol out of the bloodstream, the drinker can fall into a stupor or pass out.
If a person is poisoned by alcohol, they can choke on their vomit, stop breathing, and even suffer a heart attack. Extreme dehydration, commonly associated with alcohol poisoning, can lead to permanent brain damage. And if vomit is inhaled, it can lead to fatal lung damage. In some cases, hypothermia, seizures, and coma are brought on by the condition.
Binge Drinking and Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol poisoning is most often the result of binge drinking. According to the CDC, some 38 million or more Americans admit to binging on alcohol. Most of them confess to consuming roughly eight drinks in a two to three hour time span, and they do this on an average of four times per month.
The college crowd receives the worst rep for binge drinking, and while there is an outstanding issue of alcohol on campus, the CDC’s study found that it’s not typically college-age people who die from drinking too much. In what the CDC calls a “surprise group,” the study found that white males between the ages of 35 and 64 are the most prevalent victims of ingesting too much alcohol. This demographic accounts for a whopping 76 percent of deaths!
Alcoholism and Alcohol Poisoning Related Deaths
The CDC’s study goes on to reveal that of the 2,000+ people who die annually from drinking too much, approximately 30 percent are considered alcoholics. The fact of the matter is two-fold:
- First, alcohol poisoning is a very real, very dangerous condition capable of causing permanent mental and physical damage, even death.
- Second, binge drinking is a serious and critical health issue facing the U.S.
In our upcoming articles, we will delve deeper into this critical health issue. We will also discuss how you can spot the signs of alcohol abuse and get help.