How to Sober Someone Up Who Is Unresponsive

If you encounter someone unresponsive due to excessive amounts of alcohol, you probably need to seek medical attention. Coffee, cold showers and caffeinated beverages will not sober someone up. When someone's blood alcohol content rises to between 0.25 percent and 0.40 percent, the person will lapse in and out of consciousness. In this stage, many people choke on their own vomit. When someone's blood alcohol is between 0.35 percent and 0.50 percent, the person often lapses into a coma. Most people within this range die from respiratory depression.

Instructions

• 1

  Attempt to wake the person. Determine if the person is unconscious or simply sleeping. As a depressant, alcohol can induce sleep, but don't assume that someone is sleeping; always check to see if he can respond to you. Physically move the person and ask him questions about himself and how he feels.

• 2

  Check for signs of severe alcohol poisoning. If the person is unresponsive, immediately attempt to determine the severity of the problem. Check the person's pulse; severe alcohol poisoning significantly lowers a person's heart rate. The pulse should be no less than 60 beats per minute.

• 3

  Listen to the person's breathing. He should be taking at least eight breaths per minute. Also listen for pauses of more than 10 seconds between breaths; this can be a sign that his respiratory system is failing.

• 4

  Shine a flashlight in the person's eyes. If the pupils don't respond appropriately to light by shrinking in size, the person needs immediate medical attention. This is a sign of a dangerous blood alcohol level.

• 5

  Call 911. If the person's heart rate is lower than 60 beats per minute or if her pupils won't dilate properly, immediately seek medical attention. If you are unsure if the person is OK, call 911. Many people die of preventable alcohol poisoning. If the person is totally unresponsive, he needs emergency medical services. Alcohol poisoning can cause severe respiratory depression and the person may need medical professionals to keep his airways open until his body metabolizes the alcohol.