Vomit 

Consequences of severe alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning: treatment at home using traditional methods

Everyone knows who a moderately well-fed man is from the popular cartoon. And no one in the post-Soviet space can really explain who a moderate drinker is, even as a joke. Perhaps because the problem had such boundaries that there was no time to help “professional” alcoholics. And those who are still on the “warm-up site”, it seems, have not gotten around to it. And it should. If only because alcohol affects each person differently. And it would be nice to know who got drunk and to what point. Look, someone could have been given a helping hand earlier, or rather, on time.

And sometimes the situation confuses all the cards: the person seems to be not among those who are “addicted”, but has had a little drink and immediately experiences some kind of convulsions, seizures, and loss of consciousness. In rare cases, alcohol poisoning even affects a person who does not drink. We’ll return to this problem a little lower, but for now let’s delve into the literature and try to find out whether someone has figured out the very norm that you can drink. And in general, does such a norm exist?

There is a drinking norm!

Curious Americans studied this problem and found out at what level the waterline is in the glass of a moderate drinker:

  • for men: no more than two servings of alcohol per day;
  • for women: no more than one serving of alcohol per day;
  • a person over 65 years of age – no more than one serving of alcohol per day.

As you can see, there is a difference in gender and age parameters. It is characterized by the presence of water in the body.

How much is one drink of alcohol?

Having said “a” and finding out how much is possible, the researchers went further and clarified how much one serving of alcohol is:

  • dry wine or beer: 0.36 liters (340 g);
  • fortified wine: 0.15 liters (140 g);
  • vodka and other alcoholic drinks: 0.05 liters (42 g).

Everyone can relate to these standards in their own way. Note that they do not apply to people who various reasons In general, you should not even go near alcoholic drinks:

  • women on the eve of pregnancy or pregnant women;
  • patients taking medicinal preparations that are incompatible with alcohol;
  • patients undergoing treatment for alcohol dependence;
  • boys and girls under the age of 21.

Some may argue that our ancestors drank, and even in our time, alcohol is sometimes recommended, for example, red wine, to maintain the functioning of the heart. We don't argue. But if such a “potion” is taken frequently or constantly, then over time an addiction to alcohol will begin to form and instead of the expected positive effect problems will arise in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Moreover, the same healing effect can be achieved through healthy eating and constant, or better yet active, sports.

Don't relax

A moderate amount of alcohol really lifts a person’s mood, creating a feeling of euphoria and relaxedness. Troubles and insignificant problems lose their sharpness of perception, stress bursts are smoothed out. This is what attracts a person to alcoholic drinks. But you shouldn’t relax and focus on norms: they affect each person differently.

Unfortunately, the period of euphoria from alcohol consumption has its limit. It is not possible to stay at one level for long. The concentration of alcohol in the blood disables adequate perception of reality in the human body and self-control disappears. From the moment you exceed the limit of moderate drinking, every gram of alcohol entering the body turns into poison. At this stage, signs of alcohol poisoning appear.

Some people may feel worse even after a small dose of alcohol. The reason for this is individual intolerance the body of alcohol.

As you know, long-term alcohol consumption affects vital internal organs, which can ruin a person’s life. The limit of permissible drinking for each person depends on individual physiological characteristics human body. In addition, you should remember the following factors:

  • floor: male body copes better with alcohol;
  • weight: amount of body fat;
  • traditional dose of alcoholic drinks.

It should be remembered that boys and girls who are beginning to learn the taste of alcohol are at greater risk. They have no drinking experience, but they have no bravado. Alcohol is very dangerous for women in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when she may not yet be sure of her position. If future mom drinks during pregnancy, alcohol can affect or transmit to the fetus. Then the child will have pathologies for the rest of his life.

Alcohol poisoning usually causes ethanol or drinks containing more than 12 percent. An ethanol concentration in the blood of more than 8 g/l is considered fatal.

A lethal single dose is recognized to be from 4 to 12 g/kg. These indicators may fluctuate depending on the body's individual tolerance to alcohol.

9 out of every ten people hospitalized with a diagnosis of alcohol poisoning are people dependent on alcohol. Fatal poisoning occurs more often than six times out of ten.

The individual norm does not affect the nature of the signs of alcohol poisoning. They are the same for everyone and occur in three stages.

At the first stage:

  • due to additional blood flow, facial redness is observed;
  • a manic glare appears in the eyes;
  • the person starts talking loudly;
  • there is a decrease in concentration;
  • self-esteem is inflated;
  • personal characteristics that were previously invisible are emphasized.

If at such a moment a glass is taken away from an alcoholic, the next day the poisoning will manifest itself in the form hangover syndrome.

The second stage will inevitably come if the person does not stop at the first stage and continues to pour in the collar. But such “heroism” will certainly lead to aggravation of the situation.

The third stage, the most severe, has its own symptoms:

  • vomiting appears;
  • the drinker stops really assessing what is happening around him;
  • movements are given with incredible effort;
  • breathing becomes difficult;
  • paralysis of the respiratory center may occur;
  • death cannot be ruled out.

Is there such a thing as bad vodka? There is brake fluid...

Sometimes medical reports contain information about poisoning by bad vodka. Although vodka “experts” claim that there is no such thing as bad vodka. Behind the joke lies a serious problem. The body has great difficulty fighting alcohol substitutes. In addition to alcohol, which is perceived by the body as poison, they contain many substances that actively damage the liver and brain. They lead to severe consequences for the human body.

Surrogates include liquids containing alcohol and used in modern everyday life and in industry. Alcoholics drink them when wine or vodka becomes unaffordable or is nowhere to be purchased at the moment, and “the soul is burning and asking.” This category also includes counterfeits of alcoholic beverages, ranging from wine and vodka to low-grade moonshine. In addition to ethyl alcohol, they contain harmful impurities.

Surrogates have their own classification:

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  1. Surrogates containing ethanol or real surrogates:
    • medications: tinctures of hawthorn and motherwort berries, cologne, lotions, industrial alcohol;
    • household liquids: solvents, various detergents, car fluid - brake fluid, antifreeze and even some types of adhesives. All these liquids are dangerous due to the presence of hydrolytic and sulfate alcohols, methyl alcohol impurities, essential oils, acetone and other toxic substances.
  2. False surrogates. They are also called liquids that do not contain ethyl alcohol, but they can cause an alcoholic buzz:
    • various alcohols - amyl, butyl, methyl, formic, propyl, etc.;
    • various liquids for technical use that contain the above and similar alcohols. High concentration carries with it an increased risk of damage to various internal organs person.

Signs of poisoning with alcohol surrogates appear:

  • nausea;
  • vomiting;
  • dizziness;
  • severe headache;
  • abdominal pain.

The patient's condition is no different from the condition after prolonged binge drinking, when alcohol flows like a river. But then the body behaves depending on what was drunk and how much.

Methyl alcohol is lethal even at 100 ml. During the first time after poisoning, a person begins to feel sick and vomit. The skin turns red and dries out. On the second day, the condition worsens, thirst and abdominal pain begin to torment, accompanied by a headache. Reduces calf muscles, seeing double.

With complications, a person may lose vision.

The muscles of the back of the head become tense, cramps occur, and the heartbeat, pressure decreases. At large quantities If drunk, a person may fall into a coma. His breathing may become blocked.

Manifestations of signs of poisoning can be lightning fast in one direction - leading to death.

Ethanol is able to partially neutralize methyl alcohol, so in rare cases, ethanol-containing drinks can weaken the patient's condition.

Formic alcohol in the human body causes similar symptoms.

Ethylene glycol is lethal at 150 ml. After a third or half a day, pain in the head, lower back and abdomen appears, then thirst, diarrhea and vomiting, redness and dry skin. In severe cases of poisoning, convulsions begin and the person loses consciousness.

Heart failure, pulmonary edema with acute hepatic and renal failure may become the patient's final diagnosis.

slight hangover

Over the course of many years of drinking practice, humanity not only improved the taste of alcohol poison, but also developed and improved methods for overcoming hangover syndrome. A slight hangover in the morning of the next day after a feast can be “treated” with a cup of some hot drink - coffee or tea. It would be nice to throw a lemon at him. This will help get rid of fatigue and headaches. Anyone who has the opportunity and time allows can take a steam bath in the bathhouse in the morning. Active sweating will help the body cleanse itself of toxins in the body.

Severe poisoning

No matter how you treat doctors, at the first signs of alcohol poisoning it is necessary to call ambulance. Even with severe forms there remains a chance to help a person survive. You need to act wisely and know how to help. There is nothing new in this - the actions for any poisoning are the same.

Help before doctors arrive

Having called an ambulance, it is necessary to provide the patient with first aid:

  • cover the patient with something warm, because after drinking alcohol, the blood vessels dilate and the body quickly cools down;
  • take all measures to empty the stomach of the remnants of alcoholic beverages and thus prevent further intoxication. You can prepare a cold one for the patient soda solution, make you drink and induce vomiting. If it is difficult for a person to stand on his feet, it is necessary to lay him sideways so that when vomiting the mass does not clog him. Airways;
  • when the stomach is empty, you need to give the patient 20 tablets of activated carbon.

If the patient is very ill and is not able to control his actions, then it is better not to lavage the stomach so that he does not suffocate on the vomit. In an unconscious state, you should wait for the ambulance to arrive and make sure that your tongue does not sink.

Subcutaneous administration of cordiamine or caffeine helps restore respiratory failure. Artificial respiration is performed in cases where breathing has stopped altogether.

A kamatous state is a serious sign of concern. It is recognized by its characteristic features:

  • the appearance of a bluish tint to the face;
  • cold and clammy skin;
  • intermittent breathing;
  • thready pulse.

In a comatose state, the patient needs a resuscitator.

Alcoholic coma can affect the body of a person of average weight and who usually drinks rarely. But I couldn’t restrain myself and took 400-450 grams of vodka per capita during a short feast. In such cases, the blood alcohol concentration jumps sharply to 0.3 percent or higher.

First aid for poisoning with alcohol substitutes

The steps are the same as for normal food poisoning. First of all, it is necessary to induce a gag reflex.

Before the doctors arrive:

  • every two hours, 4-5 times/day. give the patient 50 ml of ethyl alcohol (30%);
  • over the next three days, periodically rinse the stomach, since methanol leaves the body through the gastric mucosa;
  • if the patient is unconscious, you need to monitor the pulse (carotid artery area);
  • if the pulse cannot be felt, the person should be turned over on his back;
  • it is necessary to make a precordial beat;
  • begin resuscitation.

It is important to know exactly what poisoned a person. If the reason is the use of surrogates, then in this case the proverb “knocks out a wedge with a wedge” definitely applies. As you know, ethyl alcohol slows down the breakdown of methanol alcohol, so the patient should feel better:

  • you need to give some vodka;
  • lay on stomach;
  • turn your head to the side;
  • unfasten your belt and shirt to make it easier to breathe;
  • open the window for ventilation;
  • in case of loss of consciousness, give it a sniff ammonia or vinegar;
  • lubricate whiskey with ammonia;
  • wait for the ambulance to arrive.

As you can see, everything is quite simple. But I would like life to go on without such “little things.” Of course, it is difficult to do without feasts. However, you should not turn them into some kind of cult and get too carried away with alcohol, and especially alcoholic drinks of dubious origin.

Alcohol poisoning in Russia is the most common among other poisonings. It accounts for about 60% of deaths. An even greater proportion of deaths occur before medical care is provided in 95% - 98% of cases.

Mostly in content alcoholic drink ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is present. This Chemical substance, it is colorless, volatile, flammable, quickly spreads throughout the body and is absorbed into the blood, penetrating through membranes.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is divided into 3 types according to the condition:

Alcohol intoxication (mild, moderate, severe, coma)

Not a major disturbance of consciousness, initially an elevated mood and excitement appear, then a slowdown in activity and excitement begins, a depressed state comes next, the person’s consciousness slows down, becomes sleepy and sluggish.

  • Alcohol poisoning
  • The state is lethargic, lethargic, drowsy, coma develops.
  • Alcohol intoxication
  • Toxic effect of ethanol breakdown products on the human body.

Organ damage and its symptoms:

Gastrointestinal tract - lesions of the gastric mucosa and small intestine, diarrhea occurs due to impaired absorption of water and minerals, as well as fats, with a decrease in the amount of enzyme that is responsible for the absorption of lactose. Symptoms of intoxication occur in the form of nausea and vomiting with a toxic effect on the nervous system. In case of defeat nervous system, Brett, hallucinations, mental agitation, impaired coordination, attention, memory, speech, and impaired thermoregulation occur. The pupils dilate.

The effect of ethanol occurs on the nervous system, and metabolism is disrupted nerve cells with the emergence oxygen starvation. Intoxication of ethanol breakdown products affects ketone bodies, acetate, acetaldehyde.

When ethanol affects the heart vascular system, the heartbeat quickens, blood pressure drops, dizziness and loss of strength occur, while the skin turns pale and the face turns red.

The respiratory system is affected causing metabolic disorders with the development of cerebral edema. An acute respiratory failure, the tongue sinks in with a reflex spasm of the larynx. Breathing becomes rapid.

Damage to the kidneys by ethanol and a violation of the water-salt balance, while the symptoms of alcohol poisoning manifest themselves in the form frequent urination or rare urination, to the point of its absence. This happens due to a decrease in the secretion of hormones from the hypothalamus, which retains water. Ethanol is able to remove from the body all mineral substances necessary for humans (potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.), absorption into the intestines is disrupted and a deficiency of vitamins and minerals occurs. In some cases, ethanol damages the kidney structure.

Damage to the liver and its cells leads to disruption of intracellular metabolism, pain in the right hypochondrium, and sometimes jaundice of the skin.

Severe alcohol poisoning

In severe cases of alcohol poisoning, a person falls into a coma. Ethanol can cause whom if its concentration in the blood reaches 3 g per liter of blood.

Who is divided into 2 phases:

Deep coma - loss of consciousness, complete absence to external stimuli, loss of reflexes, pain, decrease in body temperature. Skin pale to bluish in color, low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, deep breathing.

Superficial coma– loss of consciousness, decreased sensitivity, floating movement eyeballs, while one pupil is larger than the other. There is a reaction to external stimuli with facial expressions, the eyes are often reddish in color. Breathing and heartbeat are rapid, and profuse salivation is also noticed.

The effect of alcohol on the body

The severity of alcohol poisoning may depend on various factors.

1 Amount of alcohol consumed:

If a person drinks a large amount of alcohol at one time, his liver does not have time to process the alcohol. And ethanol accumulates in the blood, while destroying important organs for life, such as the brain, kidneys, liver, stomach, heart, etc.

A healthy liver of a person whose weight is approximately 75-85 kg is capable of processing only 8 grams of pure alcohol in one hour (100 ml of vodka contains 31 grams of pure alcohol.) Therefore, even 100 grams per hour is already great amount for the organs of our system.

With all this, alcohol will have the worst effect on children and the elderly, since the mechanisms in children are not yet fully formed, and in the elderly, the mechanisms do not do their job as well.

2 Much depends on genetic predisposition, some people absorb alcohol quickly, others slowly, some low activity the enzyme that is responsible for processing ethanol, for others it’s the other way around. Intoxication occurs when the breakdown product of ethanol, acetaldehyde, accumulates in the blood. In addition, a person's health factors will be affected, such as if they already have an unhealthy liver, kidneys, diabetes or other diseases. Lifestyle is also important, for example pregnancy, malnutrition, overwork, and can also affect the absorption of alcohol.

3 Everyone knows that alcoholic drinks cannot be mixed with medications, since the effect of alcohol only worsens, especially for antipsychotics, tranquilizers, antidepressants and other neuropsychiatric drugs. While taking conventional medications, ethanol will only muffle their effects and will be of no use.

This also includes taking various additives, which enhance the toxic effects of alcohol. Additives include (methyl alcohol, aldehydes, furfural, ethylene glycol, etc.).

4 For quite a short time Half of the taken dose of alcohol is already absorbed into the blood (about 15-20 minutes), so drinking it on an empty stomach only aggravates the effect; however, when taking alcohol and carbohydrate foods at the same time, it significantly reduces the rate of absorption of ethanol into the blood.

In general, with large and frequent use alcohol, the heart may not be able to withstand it and the person will simply die; such cases occur every year. Especially cases after drinking alcohol in the form of cologne, lotion, troy, hawthorn and similar substances. Methyl alcohol, which is contained in these liquids, is oxidized in the body to formaldehyde and formic acid, which cause severe intoxication on the body. After which headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, double vision, spots, fog, and even blindness begin. It is especially striking optic nerve and the retina of the eye. If for a long time in case of poisoning, the pupil is dilated, this is a symptom of unfavorable consequences. Death occurs when breathing, heart failure, or cerebral paralysis occur.

First aid for alcohol poisoning

Lay the patient down correctly, on his side. Ensure airway patency; if the tongue is stuck, straighten it, or press the tongue with your fingers, a spoon, do everything to prevent it from sticking. Using a rubber bulb, remove the contents of the oral cavity, such as mucus, salivation, and remnants of vomit. If there is excessive salivation, administer atropine 1.0-0.1% intravenously. This is the most common reason death if the tongue or other contents interfere with proper breathing.

If breathing has stopped, you need to perform a heart massage - 2 breaths and 30 presses. chest(is a cycle resuscitation actions) Repeat until breathing appears. The clicks must be effective. This method is able to reactivate the cardiac and respiratory systems.

The classic way to bring the patient to consciousness is to bring a cotton swab with ammonia at a distance of 1 cm. It stimulates respiratory organs, awakening them.

If the patient is conscious, give him the opportunity to clear his stomach by drinking a saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt per 200 ml). It is effective in the first hours. Next, take ipecac root (200 ml per 2 teaspoons), it can cause vomiting, this is necessary to cleanse the stomach. If possible, perform gastric lavage through an umbrella (the water can be salted per 1 liter of water, 1 teaspoon)

Since alcohol causes expansion peripheral vessels, the body loses heat. Therefore, try to warm the patient.

Medicines for poisoning

White coal: 3-4 tablets, up to 3-4 times a day

Enterosgel: 6 tablespoons, once

Polysorb: Adults 2-3 tablespoons, place in ¼-½ glass of water.

Activated carbon: 1 gram per 10 kg of patient weight, 1 tablet. =0.25 gr. Average daily dose 20-30 gr., 80-120 tab.

Metadoxil: dose 300-600 mg (5-10ml), intramuscularly; Or add 300-900 mg of metadoxyl to 500 ml of saline solution or 5% glucose solution and administer intravenously over 90 minutes.

Poisoning by alcohol and cheap alcohol is a real threat that poses a danger not only to lovers of strong drinks. And it is very important to distinguish in time between simple intoxication and alcohol intoxication. In many cases, this can save your life or your loved ones. What are the symptoms of alcohol intoxication and what to do if you are poisoned by your favorite alcoholic drink?

Myth: You can’t get poisoned by expensive elite alcoholic drinks...

Truth: even high-quality alcoholic drinks in large doses can cause symptoms of poisoning.

Why does alcohol cause poisoning?

During the digestion of food, 0.4 ppm of alcohol is naturally formed in the intestines. This amount is considered normal. But any excess of this dose acts on the body as a poison and leads to alcohol intoxication. The main toxic substance found in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol (ethanol).

When ethanol enters the body, it suppresses the activity of the central nervous system. The higher its concentration in the blood, the more it inhibits the respiratory and vasomotor centers of the brain. This explains the appearance characteristic features alcohol intoxication and poisoning.

A single dose of alcohol of 4-12 g per kilogram of weight is considered fatal. But this indicator is very individual and depends on various factors: body weight, age, gender, predisposition, strength and quality of the drink, and the general state of human health.

Myth: People become less susceptible to alcohol as they age...

Truth: older people are more susceptible to the effects of alcoholic substances due to the instability of the body's water-salt balance.

For convenience, scientists calculate the norm for each in ppm. This is one thousandth of the substance in the body. The legal limit of alcohol in the blood for drivers is 0.16 ppm. To determine the norm used, it is enough to undergo a blood or urine test, or use a compact breathalyzer, which will show the result right on the spot.

For whom is alcohol poisoning more dangerous? It is difficult for scientists to say for sure who - a man or a woman - is more susceptible to the effects of toxic substances in alcohol. This applies to both original alcoholic drinks and counterfeit ones. We can definitely say that in the risk zone fatal outcome from alcohol substances are children, the elderly, people with stomach diseases or of cardio-vascular system, as well as pregnant women and the fetus during gestation.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning

Poisoning with alcohol products is developing rapidly. Therefore, if timely assistance is not provided, a person under the influence of toxins will quickly lose consciousness or even fall into a coma. A person in this state cannot sit, stand, or perceive information independently.

This is radically different from a simple sleeping drunk, because a person in an alcoholic coma cannot be awakened by slapping, screaming or cold water. If he manages to remain conscious, the only sign of functioning will be non-purposeful movements of the head or limbs towards the painful stimulus. There are also other signs of alcohol poisoning that distinguish this state from ordinary intoxication:

  • nausea and vomiting;
  • body cramps;
  • partial or total loss consciousness and inability to communicate;
  • slow breathing rhythm (less than 8 breaths per minute);
  • failure respiratory rhythm(pauses between breaths are more than 10 seconds);
  • a sharp drop in body temperature;
  • blueness and pallor of the skin.

There are several stages of alcoholic coma, which are accompanied by a number of symptoms:

    with superficial coma the human body is warm and has more or less healthy color. The pupils of the eyes are constricted, but react to light stimuli. When trying to bring a person to consciousness with the help of ammonia, he reacts with quite active movements of facial expressions and hands, but does not come to his senses. There is also excessive salivation and uncontrolled urination. Arterial pressure in this state is higher than expected.

    coma moderate severity characterized by intensification of the listed symptoms, as well as relaxation muscle tone of the whole body. The reaction to the test with ammonia is much weaker.

    in deep coma the skin becomes very pale, sometimes blue. Hands and feet become cold. Often there is no reaction to external stimuli. The pupils of the eyes are constricted, and when breathing fails, they dilate. Blood pressure drops to a critical level.

In addition, at any stage of alcohol poisoning, the tongue can become stuck, blocking the airways. Due to lack of air, as well as saliva or vomit entering the trachea, a person may stop breathing and even die.

Also signs of poisoning alcohol surrogates depend on the type of toxic substance used in the drink. In particular, there are cases when a person was poisoned by consumed cosmetic and perfumery substances: perfume, cologne and others.

Often dishonest manufacturers use, instead of ethanol, a cheaper but very dangerous substitute for the body - methanol.

It is used for batteries in cars and other equipment. The main symptom of methanol poisoning is vision problems that quickly turn into blindness. Later, headaches appear, pain in the limbs, heart function is disrupted and consciousness becomes clouded, uncontrollable symptoms appear.

First aid for alcohol poisoning

It is important to know what to do in case of alcohol poisoning. At a critical moment, this can save your life or the life of someone nearby. The first thing to do is to carefully place the victim of alcohol intoxication on the bed. It is necessary to force the person to lie on his side. It is dangerous to place him on his back or stomach, as there is a risk of saliva or vomit flowing into the respiratory tract. When vomiting, you need to clean it mechanically oral cavity

using available means: napkins, handkerchiefs, towels, etc. Then you need to press your tongue so that it does not stick.

Myth: first of all, in case of alcohol poisoning, you need to take a drug to cleanse the stomach...

Truth: in the first hours of intoxication with low-quality alcohol, especially methanol, activated carbon or similar products will not help due to the rapid development of substances in the body...

Depending on the person’s condition, the following measures must be taken:

  • Make an attempt to bring the person to consciousness using ammonia. It is not recommended to touch the cotton wool with ammonia or the bubble itself to the skin of the face in order to avoid chemical burn. If you manage to wake up the patient, you need to give him a warm drink. clean water(3-4 cups) with 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 1 cup. Then you need to induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue with a spoon or in another way. When the vomiting attack ends, the person should drink strong, hot tea.
  • If the patient does not come to his senses under the influence of ammonia, you need to call an ambulance immediately. In this case, it is not recommended to induce artificial vomiting on your own to cleanse the stomach.
  • In a state of superficial coma, the emergency doctor will rinse the person’s stomach with gastric tube, and after that he will quickly return to consciousness. In case of a coma of moderate or severe severity, the patient requires urgent hospitalization in the toxicology department. The doctor is also obliged to give the patient an antidote to neutralize harmful substances: injection of 4-methylpyrazole, oral dose folic acid or 30% ethanol (oral or intravenous).

His life depends on how quickly a person with alcohol poisoning is given first aid.

It probably sounds trite to say that alcohol is a poison for the human body. But, fully aware of this and agreeing with the correctness of this postulate, our people drink. They drink a lot, without thinking about the consequences and believing that nothing will happen to them personally, because they “control the situation”! But, alas, this is self-deception - someone who drinks even a small amount of alcohol can no longer be considered adequate, and someone who “had fun” from the heart runs the risk of serious alcohol poisoning. We will discuss the symptoms and treatment of this condition in this article.

Degrees of alcohol poisoning: mild poisoning

In medicine, alcohol intoxication is divided into three degrees: mild, moderate and severe. Mild degree- this is exactly the state for which, in fact, drinking is started: elation, a feeling of lightness and joyful excitement.

A person highly appreciates his capabilities, he is “knee-deep in the sea.” But, interestingly, this stage of intoxication still leads to an increase in errors in work and a decrease in mental and physical activity.

Externally, alcohol poisoning manifests itself slight redness skin and dilated pupils. The drunk person sweats more and the urge to urinate becomes more frequent.

A drunk person speaks loudly and becomes categorical, although he expresses his “smart thoughts” incoherently. Movements become sweeping, facial expressions are disrupted, and concentration becomes difficult. Added to these symptoms are hidden experiences and personality traits “rising from the recesses of the soul,” which were controlled when sober, but are now not restrained by anything. As a rule, this condition passes quickly and quite easily.

Average degree of alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning medium degree characterized by more serious symptoms: impaired gait (swaying) and coordination of movements, double vision, loss of speech intelligibility.

This stage of intoxication leads to the fact that the “friend of the green serpent” is no longer able to control his words and actions. Depending on their character, a drunk person can become boastful and cheeky or, conversely, touchy, sad, depressed and overly self-critical. For some people, this stage of poisoning leads to aggressiveness and a desire to get into a fight for any reason.

As a rule, after moderate alcohol poisoning, the “fun” person feels weak, strong headache, thirst, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

Severe degree of intoxication

If the state of intoxication intensifies, then a person’s speech becomes illegible, slurred and meaningless, he loses the ability to understand the meaning of what was said. Consciousness becomes foggy, the skin becomes hot, the face turns red, and the pain sensitivity. By the way, a drunk may accidentally injure himself and not detect damage to his body in time.

Severe alcohol poisoning has very serious symptoms. A person suffering from severe intoxication may experience breathing problems. There is also a high risk that the intoxicated person will have cardiac arrest. In some cases, when the amount of alcohol in the blood exceeds 3%, stunning occurs and, as a result, coma begins.

If the dose of alcohol consumed is 300-400 g in terms of pure alcohol, then acute poisoning which manifests itself as convulsions, breathing problems, profuse salivation and redness of the whites of the eyes due to dilation blood vessels. A person’s life in case of severe alcohol poisoning is in danger: the victim requires urgent health care.

What is alcoholic coma

We should also talk about such a life-threatening condition as alcoholic coma. Severe alcohol poisoning, the symptoms of which were described above, can reach the comatose stage, so the signs of this condition should be well known.

The main one is loss of consciousness. Sometimes the victim has slight motor agitation. By the way, in this situation, the eyes of the drinker will be able to tell worried friends or relatives that danger is approaching. Be sure to pay attention to them.

  • The drinker's pupils do not react to light; they lack a corneal reflex (the eyes do not close if the cornea is gently touched).
  • Nystagmus (pendulum-like movement of the eyeballs) is observed.
  • When there is a threat of coma, alcohol poisoning is manifested by constriction of the pupils (in medicine this is called “miosis”). Sometimes they narrow and expand alternately. Often observed simultaneously different size pupils in the right and left eyes.

Signs of alcoholic coma from the respiratory and cardiovascular systems

Due to tongue retraction, aspiration (entry into the respiratory tract) of vomit, bronchorrhea ( copious discharge sputum) and hypersalivation (increased salivation), the victim may experience symptoms of breathing problems. It becomes uneven, intermittent, expressed by wheezing in the lungs and a pale, and sometimes bluish, coloration of the face (in medicine this phenomenon is called “cyanosis”).

Signs of alcohol poisoning, threatening coma, are also a disruption of the cardiovascular system. At the same time, blood pressure drops, the heart rate decreases - this condition produces a thread-like weak pulse.

To the signs listed above, you can add a decrease in body temperature, the appearance of convulsions, epileptiform seizures, as well as involuntary discharge of urine and feces.

Difficulties in diagnosis

However, it should be taken into account that it is not always easy to determine alcohol poisoning. Treatment requires accurate diagnosis, since similar symptoms appear while taking drugs: similar confusion and slurred speech, glitter in the eyes, agitation or drowsiness.

A clinical picture of intoxication is also given by poisoning with alcohol substitutes (denatured alcohol, cologne, polishes, acetone, etc.). Please note that poisoning in such cases is much more severe due to the presence of methyl spit, essential oils, aldehydes, resins and aniline dyes in these substances. And among the symptoms, leg pain, thirst, headache and blurred vision come to the fore.

By the way, conditions resembling intoxication can also occur during a stroke or brain injury.

Diagnosis of comatose states

As you know, diagnosing a patient in a comatose state causes difficulties in almost all cases, and alcohol poisoning that caused a coma is no exception.

In this case, the patient’s relatives or friends are required to provide accurate information about what happened before the onset of coma: whether the patient abused alcohol, is addicted to drugs, has diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, or head injuries. The smell of alcohol from an unconscious patient does not exclude the possibility of a stroke or brain injury caused by drinking alcohol.

Help with alcohol poisoning causing coma

If, based on the signs listed above, you understand that a drunk person is in a critical, pre-comatose state, then do not delay and call an ambulance. In the meantime, start rescue efforts.

Do not turn the victim onto his back! This is dangerous because a person who has lost consciousness may choke on vomit.

Gastric lavage is also not allowed. You can only clear his upper respiratory tract of mucus, saliva, etc. To do this, turn the patient on his side, secure his tongue, for example, with a clothespin wrapped in gauze, and use a napkin to clean the oral cavity. A rubber bulb will help clear vomit from your throat.

If necessary, proceed to artificial respiration. For the same purpose, try letting the patient inhale ammonia on a cotton swab. Be sure to open the windows and provide the victim with fresh air.

The main care for severe poisoning is carried out in a hospital!

Specialized assistance for severe alcohol poisoning takes the form of intensive care, which involves subcutaneous administration of atropine (to reduce hypersalivation and bronchorrhea), caffeine (10% solution) and cordiamine (25% solution) 2 ml subcutaneously. Recommended intravenous administration glucose solution (40%) and solution ascorbic acid(5%) in a volume of 2 ml.

To combat acidosis, a solution of sodium bicarbonate is injected drip into a vein; additionally, nicotinic acid subcutaneously To avoid secondary infection, antibiotics are administered. All these measures are taken already during hospitalization of the patient, and, as a rule, they make it possible to eliminate even the most severe consequences alcohol intoxication.

What to do in case of moderate alcohol poisoning

In the case where the patient does not need specialized assistance, you can alleviate his condition yourself. First aid for alcohol poisoning is to prevent alcohol from being absorbed into the blood. To do this, you should induce vomiting in the patient: irritate the root of the tongue with your fingers and give him plenty of fluids (only warm water!). This is done several times until clear liquid begins to come out of the stomach. If a drunken person is unable to rise, his head is turned to one side and slightly lowered.

If after the procedures a person feels weak and his skin has turned pale, wrap him in a blanket and apply a heating pad to his feet. hot water. Give the victim hot, strong tea to drink.

How doctors called to your home provide assistance

Sometimes the victim’s condition requires medical attention even though the intoxication was not severe. High-quality professional care is provided by doctors called to your home. As a rule, they perform standard gastric lavage, and if necessary, they use a special tube.

After cleansing procedures, infusion therapy (dropper) is performed. At home, as well as in the hospital, it contains a glucose solution, which helps accelerate the oxidation of alcohol, and vitamin complex, including 5% solutions of vitamins B1 (3-5 ml), B6 ​​(5 to 10 ml) and ascorbic acid. They have a detoxifying effect and help normalize metabolic processes.

Why a dropper?

Why do doctors prefer IV treatment? The fact is that a dropper in case of poisoning is the only way to quickly deliver medicine into the body to all tissues and organs, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. The drug in this case slowly and gradually penetrates into the blood, thereby ensuring a constant concentration of the drug, and the doctor can monitor the patient’s condition, deciding whether the dose of the drug is sufficient and adjusting it if necessary.

In addition, if there is a large loss of fluid, and this is what happens with vomiting, which often accompanies poisoning, it is the dropper that helps restore the required amount of fluid in the body.

Alcohol poisoning: treatment at home

With the help of home remedies, as you already understand, you can only deal with a mild degree of intoxication. The main goal of such procedures is to cleanse the body. Such events are carried out in several stages.

  1. Need to drink as much as possible more water(at least one liter), and then induce vomiting 3-5 times, since most of the alcohol taken orally is absorbed in the stomach.
  2. When the stomach is cleared, you need to drink water again, because alcohol greatly dehydrates the cells. Please note that if you have kidney disease, this advice must be followed very carefully!
  3. Additional purification is carried out using sorbents (activated and white carbon). Alcohol poisoning can also be alleviated with the drug Enterosgel, which successfully relieves the symptoms of intoxication within an hour.
  4. In order to help the liver, which is greatly damaged by excessive drinking, you need to take amino acids. Such drugs include Glutargin.

The use of folk remedies to relieve intoxication

A lot of advice on how to relieve alcohol poisoning can be found in folk medicine. Please note that application folk remedies it is also necessary to begin with cleansing the victim’s stomach and eliminating dehydration. Traditional healers It is recommended to drink strongly brewed black tea, which can be sweetened with honey. To reduce nausea, lemon balm is added to it, which tones and refreshes well.

Chicory root, or rather a decoction of it, also helps in such situations. This medicine should be taken one tablespoon up to four times a day. To reduce the manifestations of poisoning, celery root juice is also useful, which should be taken in a tablespoon 3 times a day.

Categories of people at risk of severe alcohol intoxication

It is perhaps difficult to find a person who has never tried alcohol in his life. And it’s good if acquaintance with this insidious product did not lead to the symptoms of poisoning listed above, and did not require an IV at home.

By the way, there are groups of people for whom alcohol can cause particularly significant harm and cause symptoms of poisoning.

  • Teenagers. Their body is unable to properly break down alcohol, so poisoning occurs with almost every attempt to have fun with alcohol. Even a small dose of it leads to serious consequences.
  • Aged people. They risk that their body, due to general weakness, is unable to effectively withstand an alcohol attack, which can cause a severe blow to their health.
  • People taking potent medications, which may include those that are absolutely incompatible with alcohol.
  • People with a weakened metabolism may react painfully to even a small dose of alcohol, since their body is not able to process it normally.

However, everyone, having drawn conclusions from what they read above and their own life experience, can come to the right decision: if alcohol has such a severe and terrible effect on the mind and consciousness, and the consequences of its use are so dangerous, then maybe it’s worth giving up alcohol?

(alcohol intoxication) is a complex of behavioral disorders, psychological and physiological reactions that occur after drinking alcohol. Develops as a result toxic effect ethanol and its metabolic products. Manifested by euphoria, impaired coordination of movements, loss of attentiveness, decreased criticism of own capabilities and condition. When the dose is increased in people who do not suffer from alcoholism, nausea and vomiting occur. In severe cases of intoxication, breathing and blood circulation are impaired. Disorders of consciousness up to coma are possible. Treatment – ​​detoxification, symptomatic therapy.

General information

Acute alcohol intoxication (alcohol intoxication) is a common condition; it can be observed both in alcoholics and in people who do not suffer from alcohol addiction. Alcohol intoxication is a medical, social and legal problem. Drunk people are more likely to be involved in criminal incidents, get into traffic accidents, and become victims of accidents at home and at work. A significant proportion of patients seeking help from traumatologists were intoxicated at the time of injury.

Alcohol intoxication increases the risk of exacerbation of the series chronic diseases and the occurrence of acute conditions, which often pose a danger to the patient’s life. Such conditions include Mallory-Weiss syndrome, acute pancreatitis, hypertensive crisis, stroke, arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, etc. After a prolonged stay in a state of intoxication (binge), patients with alcohol dependence may develop alcoholic depression and alcoholic delirium . Treatment of intoxication is carried out by specialists in the field of narcology. In severe cases, the participation of resuscitators is required.

Causes and classification of acute alcohol intoxication

The direct cause of alcohol intoxication is the effect of ethanol and its metabolic products on the patient's body. In this case, the leading role is played by the characteristics of the central nervous system reaction. Initially, alcohol has an exciting effect on the cerebral cortex, then excitation gives way to inhibition, subcortical formations go beyond the control of the cortex. With an increase in the concentration of ethanol in the blood, the inhibition processes spread to the subcortical formations, the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata.

The spread of inhibition to various structures of the central nervous system can be tracked by dividing the signs of alcohol intoxication into mental, neurological and autonomic disorders. When consumed small amount ethanol is primarily affected mental functions(inhibition of the cerebral cortex). As the dose increases, neurological disorders become more noticeable. In case of severe intoxication mental activity practically stops, suppression of vital vegetative functions is observed.

The severity of intoxication is primarily determined by the amount of ethanol entering the blood, that is, the amount and strength of the alcoholic drink. The severity of intoxication increases when taking low-quality alcohol (“scorched” vodka, denatured alcohol, technical and medical alcohol-containing liquids not intended for internal use). Along with the above, the severity of intoxication is influenced by the time during which alcohol entered the body.

What matters is the patient’s body weight, the time of day, the quality and quantity of food (intoxication occurs faster on an empty stomach, when eating food, especially fatty food - slower), the conditions in the room (in hot and stuffy rooms a person gets drunk faster, in the cold - slower, when moving from cold in the heat, the effects of intoxication intensify). Much depends on individual reaction patient, varying depending on his physical and psychological condition.

There are three degrees and three types of acute alcohol intoxication. By severity, they distinguish between mild, moderate and severe degrees of alcoholic intoxication, and by type - simple (typical), atypical and pathological intoxication. Atypical intoxication is more often observed in chronic alcoholism and can occur with traumatic brain injuries, mental disorders, etc. Pathological intoxication is a rare condition that does not depend on the presence or absence of alcoholism and the dose of alcohol.

Symptoms of typical alcohol intoxication

Simple alcohol intoxication is usually observed in people who do not suffer from alcohol dependence. At light alcoholic Intoxication is dominated by a rise in mood, satisfaction, a feeling of internal and external comfort, and a desire to contact other people. All manifestations are exaggerated, somewhat exaggerated: speech is loud and fast, facial expressions are very active, movements are sweeping. There is some deterioration in the accuracy of movements, absent-mindedness and sexual disinhibition. The face is hyperemic, the pulse is increased, the appetite is increased. After 2-3 hours, euphoria gives way to drowsiness, lethargy and lethargy. Subsequently, the person remembers well everything that happened while drinking alcohol.

With moderate intoxication, euphoria remains, but the mood becomes more unstable. Fun can quickly give way to anger, complacency to irritation, goodwill to the interlocutor to an attack of aggression. Neurological disorders come to the fore: slurred speech, illegible handwriting, severe static and dynamic ataxia. People who do not suffer from alcoholism often experience nausea and vomiting. Patients are oriented in their surroundings, but switching attention presents significant difficulties. After some time it comes deep dream. Upon awakening, patients feel headache, weakness, lethargy, and weakness. In people who drink little, the memories are preserved, but vague. Alcoholics often experience memory loss.

Severe alcohol intoxication is accompanied by progressive disturbances of consciousness. Stunning gives way to stupor. In severe cases, coma occurs. Productive contact is practically impossible, the patient mumbles something inaudibly or does not react to his surroundings. Facial expressions are poor. Because of gross violations coordination of movements the patient cannot stand, sit or perform simple movements. Possible urinary and fecal incontinence. After some time, the patient falls into a deep sleep, from which it is impossible to wake him up, even using ammonia. Aspiration of vomit is possible. In a state of coma, the patient's pupils do not respond to light, the pulse is weakened, and breathing is difficult. After leaving the state of alcoholic intoxication, there is a deterioration in appetite and severe asthenia. The patient does not remember what happened while drinking alcohol.

Atypical acute alcohol intoxication

Dysphoric intoxication can be observed after traumatic brain injury, with epilepsy and some psychopathy. Irritability, sullenness and anger predominate. Aggression and self-aggression are possible. Depressive intoxication that occurs with endogenous and psychogenic depression is characterized by a sharp decline mood, hopelessness and tendency to self-flagellation. Movements and speech slow down, against this background there may be sudden bursts of activity, accompanied by suicidal actions.

Doubtful intoxication develops with asthenia and general exhaustion, the use of ethanol in combination with clonidine and tranquilizers. Euphoria is practically not expressed or absent. The patient quickly falls into deep sleep, which can turn into a soporous and comatose state. Hysterical intoxication is observed in patients of the hysteroid type and is accompanied by violent expressiveness and theatrical behavior. The patient seems to be performing a performance in front of others. When choosing a “tragic” scenario, suicide attempts are possible, which, as a rule, do not represent real danger for the patient's life.

Treatment of acute alcohol intoxication

Treatment tactics are determined by the severity of intoxication and the general condition of the patient. In case of intoxication mild degree no medical attention required. In case of moderate and severe intoxication, detoxification and symptomatic therapy. Gastric lavage is performed - the patient is given crushed Activated carbon, and then remove gastric contents through a tube or induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue. Infusion therapy prescribed both for detoxification and to restore water-electrolyte and acid-base balance.

In the dropper with saline solutions and vitamins are added with glucose. Conduct symptomatic treatment, aimed at maintaining and normalizing vital functions: urination, cardiac activity, pressure, respiration, blood circulation, etc. In case of severe poisoning, the technique of forced diuresis and hyperbaric oxygenation is used, toxic hepatitis, acute cardiovascular, respiratory and

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