No two people will be at the same blood alcohol concentration (BAC) even if both are similar in physique and amount of alcohol consumed. Excessive alcohol brings blood alcohol concentration to a higher level and poses serious risks, including impaired judgment, reduced coordination, and a heightened chance of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person has consumed a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time. The effects overwhelm the body, leading to a number of serious symptoms that can be fatal or cause serious brain damage.
Care at Cleveland Clinic

If you drink too much alcohol too quickly, your liver can’t remove it fast enough. This causes the amount of alcohol in the blood, also known as blood alcohol concentration (BAC), to rise. Individuals who have a concern about substance abuse treatment because they are worried about a life without alcohol know that our team here at Behavioral Twelve-step program Health Centers understands these concerns. We will work hard to ensure each individual has the answers and the assurance they need when they choose treatment options. Our team is dedicated to providing effective intensive care for each of our patients who have an alcohol use disorder. The absolute best way to avoid alcohol poisoning is to moderate, not binge drink.
- Contact Riverside Recovery to learn about detox options, inpatient and outpatient programs, and how we help individuals reclaim their lives, safely, compassionately, and effectively.
- Ingesting alcohol and other drugs together intensifies their individual effects and could produce an overdose with even moderate amounts of alcohol.
Neurological Effects:
If they are turning blue, if they’re making choking noises, or if they’re entirely unresponsive, call 911 alcohol overdose immediately. Paramedics can help reverse drug overdose and stabilize the overdosing person. When signs of overdose are present, you may be worried that you’ll get in trouble for calling the paramedics or getting help for yourself or someone near you who is overdosing.
Critical Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
It results from ethanol, the primary type of alcohol in beverages, overwhelming the body’s systems. If someone is experiencing an alcohol overdose, call emergency services immediately and provide details about the amount of alcohol consumed. While waiting for help, do not leave the person alone, monitor their breathing, and keep them sitting up or on their side to prevent choking. Without food, alcohol passes quickly from the stomach to the small intestine, where absorption is more efficient, resulting in higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels. And if you or someone you know has experienced a drug overdose, this may indicate the presence of a substance addiction.

This is when a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours. Alcohol in the form of ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, is in alcoholic beverages. It’s also in mouthwash, some cooking extracts, some medicines and certain household products.