Global InformationAlcohol intoxication information
| 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 | Ethanol (alcohol)[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] |
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.
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]
- ^ a b Garfunkel, Lynn C.; Kaczorowski, Jeffrey; Christy, Cynthia (2007). Pediatric Clinical Advisor E-Book: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 13. ISBN 9780323070584.
- ^ Gupta, P. K. (2016). Fundamentals of Toxicology: Essential Concepts and Applications. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-805403-1.
Alcohol poisoning presents in two forms, acute and chronic. However, these are most often referred to as alcohol intoxication and alcohol addiction respectively.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Alcohol Toxicity and Withdrawal". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ a b c "Alcohol poisoning". nhs.uk. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.), Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013, pp. 497–499, ISBN 978-0890425558
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jung, YC; Namkoong, K (2014). "Alcohol". Alcohol and the Nervous System. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 125. pp. 115–21. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00007-0. ISBN 9780444626196. PMID 25307571.
- ^ "Alcohol use disorder – Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Von2008was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kan2015was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Meaning of inebriation in English". dictionary.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Acute intoxication". WHO. Archived from the original on 4 July 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Zakhari, Samir (2006). "Overview: how is alcohol metabolized by the body?". Alcohol Research & Health. 29 (4): 245–254. ISSN 1535-7414. PMC 6527027. PMID 17718403.
- ^ Sung, Hung-En (2016), "Alcohol and Crime", Alcohol and Crime, The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, Wiley, pp. 1–2, doi:10.1002/9781405165518.wbeosa039.pub2, ISBN 978-1-4051-6551-8
- ^ "Ethanol Level: Reference Range, Interpretation, Collection and Panels". Medscape. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Canfield, DV; Dubowski, KM; Cowan, M; Harding, PM (January 2014). "Alcohol Limits and Public Safety". Forensic Science Review. 26 (1): 9–22. PMID 26226968.
- ^ "Alcohol Alert". pubs.niaaa.nih.gov. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ American Psychiatric Association (22 May 2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8.
- ^ Belenko, Steven; Spohn, Cassia (2014). Drugs, Crime, and Justice. SAGE Publications. p. PT21. ISBN 9781483355429.
- ^ Martin, Scott C. (2014). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives. SAGE Publications. p. PT1382. ISBN 9781483374383.
- ^ Kolig, Erich (2012). Conservative Islam: A Cultural Anthropology. Lexington Books. p. 101. ISBN 9780739174258.