What to do when alcohol poisoning at home

Alcohol poisoning can occur due to consumption of substandard alcohol, or after taking alcohol in large quantities. This condition can lead to death or disability. In this article we reviewed the causes and symptoms of alcohol intoxication what to do when alcohol poisoning at home and in some cases, you must immediately seek medical help.

The main causes of alcohol poisoning

There are many reasons for the development of acute alcohol intoxication. The identification of the etiology of poisoning need for proper treatment and recovery.

Acute alcohol poisoning can develop for reasons listed below.

  • The use of substandard, counterfeit alcohol, which is ethyl alcohol contain alcohol substitutes (ethylene glycol, methyl alcohol). Surrogates are used in different industries in the industrial sector. They are cheaper than the "food" of ethanol and similar to it in taste and appearance. Dishonest alcohol producers to reduce the cost of goods prepared spirits-based surrogate materials.
  • The ingestion of ethyl alcohol can also cause alcoholic poisoning. Intoxication develops when a high level of alcohol in the blood (greater than 2 g/l). The dose of alcohol required for intoxication, the individual. It depends on the ability of the liver to neutralize the molecules of alcohol, weight and age of the person.
  • Poisoning may develop after a long binge. Prolonged and systematic use of alcohol stops the liver to clean the blood.
  • The combination of alcohol with medicines or drugs, which accelerate absorption and increase the effect of alcohol on the body. Alcohol is forbidden to combine with antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesics.

What are the dangers of alcohol poisoning

Severe alcohol poisoning can lead to permanent disability, disability and even death. Listed below are the main complications and diseases that may develop due to alcohol poisoning.

  • Acute liver failure develops due to the inability of the liver to cope with the neutralization of alcohol.
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding – a complication which interferes with the integrity of blood vessels submucosa of the ball of the stomach or duodenum. The bleeding may be profuse and lead to rapid blood loss.
  • Acute pancreatitis – inflammation of pancreas parenchyma in which there is necrotic death of her cells. This is an acute surgical pathology requiring urgent surgery.
  • Blindness is a complication that develops after consuming methyl alcohol (surrogate alcohol).
  • Acute renal failure is characteristic of ingestion of ethylene glycol.
  • Alcoholic encephalopathy typical of chronic alcoholics. If it violated human mental abilities.
  • Deep coma develops when the concentration of alcohol in the blood above 3 g/l. When it can affect the brain tissue.
  • Mallory-Weiss syndrome – rupture of the mucous membrane of the lower esophagus due to uncontrollable vomiting. May be accompanied by severe internal bleeding.

The main clinical manifestations of alcohol poisoning

Signs of alcohol poisoning develop during the first few hours after his admission. During intoxication with methyl alcohol symptoms may develop in 1-2 days. The symptoms of alcohol poisoning and surrogates are different. The doctor may suspect a substance which poisoned the victim, according to the clinical picture.

Remember that the severity of symptoms correlates with the severity of the patient's condition. The stronger alcoholic toxicosis, the faster deteriorating health of the person.

The table below describes the main signs of alcohol poisoning.

Toxic substance Symptoms
Ethyl alcohol
  • Nausea and vomiting. Vomit can consist of food particles, gastric juice and bile. Gastric bleeding they are painted in black color.
  • Profuse diarrhea. If internal bleeding develops melena (black diarrhea).
  • Severe abdominal pain in the stomach or intestines.
  • Hallucinations (can be auditory or visual).
  • Headache in the temples or occipital region.
  • General weakness, fatigue.
  • Pale skin and visible mucous membranes.
  • Seizures in all groups of skeletal muscles.
  • Inappropriate patient behavior (aggression).
  • Disturbance of consciousness in which the victim is gradually loaded to a state of stupor, then falls into a deep coma.
Methyl alcohol A distinctive symptom of acute alcohol intoxication while receiving methyl is blurred vision. Patient complains of blurred vision, decreased visual acuity. There may come a total blindness.
Ethylene glycol The clinical picture is similar to poisoning with ethyl alcohol.

  • Loss of coordination (ataxia).
  • Cramps inseparate groups of skeletal muscles.
  • Absence of urine (anuria).

How to help the victim at home?

What to do when alcohol poisoning? With the development of acute alcohol poisoning symptoms appear rather quickly.

At the first symptoms, you should call the emergency service.

Only doctors can accurately estimate the state of a person and to paint, how to get rid of alcohol intoxication.

Remember that all the tips on how to remove alcohol intoxication at home, which you can read on the Internet or hear from friends, is very dangerous. Self-medication of alcohol poisoning often leads to death of the patient.

First aid is poisoned loved ones at home before arrival of a brigade of SMP. Below detail the actions that you can help yourself to the patient before arrival of physicians.

Gastric lavage

Gastric lavage in acute alcohol intoxication is performed only if the patient is conscious and behaving properly. To cleanse the stomach should gulp drink a liter of water and provoke vomiting. To use potassium permanganate in the home is prohibited.

Enema

Enema helps reduce intoxication. Use it only for plain water, at room temperature. Add drugs or decoction of herbs at home is prohibited.

Do an enema before the advent of clean wash water.

Sorbents

Sorbents can be taken after cleansing of the stomach. These medications neutralize and bind the toxins and remnants of alcohol and eliminate them from the intestines. They should be taken with water. Before taking these drugs you must correctly calculate the dosage.

Drugs:

  • activated carbon;
  • APSCO;
  • white coal;
  • sorbex;
  • enterosgel;
  • smectite.

Drink plenty of liquids

To replenish water loss need to drink mineral alkaline water or sweet black tea. It is best to drink little and often so as not to cause a new emetic episodes.

Medical care

When alcohol poisoning treatment is starting to have doctors from SMP. First, they examine the victim, check his blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation. Then begin to administer first aid, which is necessary to stabilize the condition.

First aid consists of:

  • the performances drip with fluids for dehydration and intoxication syndrome;
  • the introduction of antispasmodic and antiemetic drugs;
  • the regulation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
  • connect the patient to an oxygen mask.

To treat alcohol poisoning needs in the hospital. Team SMP hospitalitynet poisoned alcohol in the emergency room or poison control office. The duration of stay in the hospital depends on the patient's condition and complications. Therapy in the hospital may consist of:

  • hemodialysis is a procedure of cleansing the blood from toxic substances;
  • the introduction of the antidote. During intoxication with methyl ethyl alcohol helps;
  • intravenous drip infusion solutions for the saturation of body fluids, trace elements and nutrients;
  • diet. If poisoning alcohol you need to follow a strict diet. In the first days you can eat only boiled rice (with the water in which it is cooked), oatmeal, drink water and sweet weak tea.
  • drugs that regulate digestion. These can be enzymes, antispasmodics, absorbents.

The list of assigned treatment may be extended due to the development of complications in the internal organs. For example, for gastrointestinal bleeding performed gastroscopy and acute pancreatitis is the surgery.

Examination for alcohol intoxication

The doctor for prescribing the right treatment, identify the causes of poisoning and possible complications need the results of some laboratory and instrumental studies. Examination of the patient residing in a serious condition, is held in parallel with the first aid.

For proper selection of treatment may need the following investigations:

  • General analysis of blood leukocyte formula deployed – you need to detect anemia, dehydration, inflammatory process in the organism, hemolysis;
  • urinalysis helps to eliminate renal toxins and alcohol;
  • blood alcohol level is to confirm the fact of reception of alcohol by the patient and determine the degree of intoxication. Alcohol intoxication can be confused with the condition after taking the drug or other diseases;
  • biochemical analysis of blood to determine electrolyte levels and functional status of internal organs;
  • ultrasound examination of internal organs is necessary for the diagnosis of pancreatitis, pathology of the liver and kidneys.

Treatment for alcohol poisoning should be carried out in a hospital. To self-medicate at home is dangerous to life and health. Alcohol intoxication may develop as a result of receiving surrogates or poor quality alcohol. The first symptoms develop during the first 2-3 hours after taking alcoholic drinks.At the first signs of poisoning should call the team of SMP and to go to the hospital.