Alcohol Poisoning Side Effects

Binge drinking is the No. 1 cause of alcohol poisoning, a condition in which a person has ingested more alcohol than the body can handle. There are many consequences that accompany alcohol poisoning, including permanent brain damage or death. Alcohol poisoning side effects range from the classic signs of someone acting in a confused manner to falling into a state of unconsciousness.

Stupor

• One of the initial side effects of consuming a large volume of alcohol within a short period is confusion. At first the individual may just act silly and display the signs of being drunk, but as the alcohol overwhelms the body he may begin to become deeply impaired. Falling into a stupor is often a sign of alcohol poisoning, with the person unable to walk, speak intelligently or function on her own. Alcohol poisoning can cause a person to be unable to be awakened once she falls asleep from the effects of the drinking, even when attempts go far beyond what would normally wake a person.

Affected Breathing

• Alcohol is a depressant, meaning that it has a direct effect on the nerves responsible for controlling involuntary functions such as breathing. This makes it possible for alcohol poisoning to precipitate an individual into slipping into a coma as the breathing shuts down. The side effects of alcohol poisoning that involve breathing will slow the respiration rate down to just a few breaths a minute, with long lapses between breaths. At this point, the person has the potential to stop breathing altogether and die.

Hypothermia

• Hypothermia can occur during a bout of alcohol poisoning, especially when the weather is cold. Alcohol has the ability to dilate the blood vessels, which can bring about a rapid loss of heat from a person's body. The skin will take on a much paler or even a bluish hue, and the affected individual will feel cold and clammy to the touch. When a person vomits excessively from alcohol poisoning, one of the side effects can be dehydration, which lowers blood sugar levels. This can lead to seizures.

Vomiting

• As alcohol levels climb in a person's system, one of the body's defenses is to try to lower the amount of alcohol in the stomach by vomiting. Alcohol acts as an irritant to the stomach, so this reaction is easily achieved during alcohol poisoning. However, since alcohol can also cause a person's gag reflex to become severely impaired, the risk is heightened considerably that the person can choke on his own vomit. This is a frequent cause of death from alcohol poisoning.

Other Side Effects

• It is possible to aspirate vomit into the lungs when alcohol poisoning makes a person vomit. This can result in a case of pneumonia at the very least, with an infection from the ingested materials likely. Alcohol poisoning's depressive side effects can be significantly increased by any over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs the victim may be taking. Physical injury from falls and spills are also commonly seen when someone suffers from alcohol poisoning.