Alcoholic beverages in Poland are consumed by over 80% of adults. Fortunately, most of them drink alcohol in reasonable amounts, although 3 million people abuse alcohol, which has negative consequences for them and those around them. It is estimated that even one in five people who drink alcohol excessively is addicted to it.
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is one of the most commonly used intoxicants. If consumed in excessive amounts, it can cause hangovers, intoxication or intoxication. Ethanol is contained in alcoholic beverages such as vodka, beer and wine. It has a negative effect on almost all organs and tissues in the body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol is one of the three primary health risk factors. Apart from it, smoking and hypertension also have a detrimental effect on health. As a result of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, breathing slows down in a relatively short time and the respiratory center in the brain is impaired. As a result, hypoxia and even death may occur.
How Does Alcohol Poisoning Happen?
Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks too much alcohol and the body cannot absorb and excrete it in any way. Toxins present in alcohol disrupt the proper functioning, causing e.g. weakness, speech disorders, headache, nausea, balance disorder and vomiting. Alcohol is easily absorbed from the digestive system – first in the stomach and then in the intestine. It reaches the highest concentration in the blood after about 0.5-3 hours. after consumption. Liquors with a concentration of 15-30% are absorbed fastest, and stronger or weaker alcohols are absorbed more slowly. The rate of absorption also depends on whether there is any digestive content in the gastrointestinal tract – alcohol when drunk on an empty stomach is absorbed faster. The liver is responsible for metabolizing alcohol. This organ breaks down ethanol by 90-98%, and the rest is excreted unchanged by the body with urine and exhaled air. The part of the alcohol that is metabolized by the oxidation organ becomes acetaldehyde. This, in turn, is converted to acetic acid. It is in this last reaction that a substance called disulfiram is inhibited, which results in the occurrence of unfavorable symptoms correlated with the accumulation of acetaldehyde. These symptoms may be similar to the so-called hangover, but they are much more intense. These symptoms may be similar to the so-called hangover, but they are much more intense. These symptoms may be similar to the so-called hangover, but they are much more intense.
AlcoholPoisoning – Symptoms
Alcohol poisoning is a condition in which, in addition to the symptoms of intoxication, there are also other alarming signs that should never be taken lightly. If we suspect that someone has poisoned with alcohol, call for medical help immediately. Ethanol causes many important changes, and everyone’s response is different. It consists of various factors, including comorbidities, the type of alcohol consumed, the level of the gastrointestinal tract being filled with food, as well as the way alcohol is consumed.
Blood alcohol level and symptoms
-from 0.3 to 0.5 ‰ – impaired hand-eye coordination, subjective mood improvement, increased self-confidence, euphoric state, slight balance disorder, visual disturbances and inability to realistically assess one’s condition.
-from 0.5 to 0.7 ‰ – excessive excitability, motor activity disorders, talkativeness, slight reflex disturbance, decreased self-control. As a result of misjudging your own abilities, you may misjudge the situation.
-from 0.7 to 2.0 ‰ – disturbances in motor coordination, efficiency and balance, slowing down the reaction time, lowering the pain threshold, decreased mental performance (e.g. errors in logical thinking), sexual agitation, irritability, increased heart rate, aggressive behavior increase in blood pressure.
-from 2.0 to 3.0 ‰ – drowsiness, balance disorders (falling over, swaying), speech disorders, visible slowing down, clearly reduced ability to control one’s own behavior.
-from 3.0 to 4.0 ‰ – decrease in body temperature, decrease in blood pressure, lack of control over physiological reflexes, weakness and blunt disturbance of consciousness that may lead to coma.
– over 4 ‰ – coma, impairment of the work of the vascular-motor and respiratory centers.
Somatic Complications
In people who regularly drink alcohol, somatic complications arise because of:
- improper diet and food absorption disorders
- the toxic effects of alcohol on many internal organs in the body
- increased susceptibility to injuries, infectious diseases, infections or accidents.
Regular Consumption of Alcohol has a Negative Effect on Individual Systems in the Body
Respiratory system
Chronic bronchitis and tracheitis may damage the cilia and mucous glands present there. As a consequence, immunity weakens and susceptibility to infections increases.
Nervous system The
brain is particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. The most common complications of the nervous system are:
- muscle changes (atrophy of muscle tissue, muscle weakness)
- polyneuropathy (polyneuritis)
- Wernicki’s encephalopathy (its symptoms are: double vision, nystagmus, paresis, convulsions)
- convulsive withdrawal attacks
- optic neuropathy (eye damage that leads to blurred vision)
Endocrine system
Changes in the endocrine system include, inter alia, disorders of sex hormones, adrenal glands and thyroid gland. In men, there is a decrease in sexual performance, a decrease in sperm motility and their defects, which may complicate the conception of a child. In turn, women may experience menstrual disorders, premature menopause, and even infertility.
Digestive system
Complications related to the digestive system include:
- pancreatic damage
- damage to the mucous membranes
- liver damage (steatosis, fibrosis that progresses to cirrhosis, and untreated cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer).
The circulatory system
The most common complications include:
- cardiomyopathy (abnormal heart beat)
- hypertension
- cerebrovascular disease (can lead to stroke)
- hematological disorders (damage to the bone marrow)
- Heart arythmia
Urinary System
Excessive consumption of alcohol can damage the kidneys, lead to kidney failure and cause gout.
The immune system
Alcohol suppresses the defenses of the immune system, making you more susceptible to infectious diseases, cancer, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Psychiatric Complications
People who abuse alcohol are often troubled by depression and low mood. A number of studies prove that people addicted to alcohol have memory impairment, problems with associating facts and thinking. The most serious psychiatric complications are:
- chronic hallucinosis
- alcohol delirium
- acute hallucinosis
- Korsakov’s psychosis
- alcohol paranoia.
Alcohol is a legal psychoactive substance that should not be reached by pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially. Drinking even small doses during pregnancy is very unfavorable. Alcohol passes through the placenta and into the tissues of the fetus, thus disrupting the proper development of the baby. It can cause the development of congenital abnormalities of the fetus, the most serious of which is the so-called FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome), or fetal alcohol syndrome. In extreme cases, it can even lead to a miscarriage.
Lactation
When a nursing woman abuses alcohol, it passes into her milk. You should completely give up drinking alcohol during the first six months of lactation.
The Period of Adolescence
Regular alcohol consumption at an early age causes many negative effects. The most important are:
- memory disorders, decrease in mental performance and concentration (as a result, there are learning problems)
- excitability, irritability, increased aggression, frequent irritation, upbringing problems and undiscipline
Importantly, drinking alcohol at an early age increases the risk of becoming addicted.
Old Age
Even small doses of alcohol can cause negative reactions in elderly people, e.g. aggravate existing diseases, increase stress, cause additional burden and health problems.
Alcohol Addiction
People who are addicted to alcohol do not have full control over their drinking (the amount, frequency, and duration of alcohol consumption are irrelevant to them). Thus, the most effective method of dealing with addiction is to maintain complete abstinence. According to the law, alcohol consumption is not allowed in public places, workplaces, schools, while caring for children, and while driving.
The World Health Organization has established acceptable alcohol consumption limits for women and men. If they are exceeded, the risk of adverse health reactions caused by alcohol consumption increases.
Alcohol Consumption limits for men:
When consuming alcohol occasionally, a man should not drink more than 60 g of pure alcohol. In other words, he should not drink more than 180 ml of vodka, 3 glasses of wine (200 ml each) or 3 half-liter bottles of beer at a time.
If he drinks alcohol several times a week, he should abstain at least 2 days during this time. He should not drink more than 2 glasses of wine (200 ml each) or 2 half-liter bottles of beer with a capacity of 0.5 l each or 120 ml of vodka. The total amount of pure alcohol drunk during the week may not exceed 280 g, which is equivalent to 14 half-liter bottles of beer or 0.8 liters of vodka or less than 4 bottles of wine (0.75 liters each).
Alcohol Consumption limits for Women:
A woman should not drink more than 40 g of pure alcohol at a time. In other words, she should not consume more than 120 ml of vodka, 2 half-liter bottles of beer or 2 glasses of wine (200 ml each) on one occasion.
If a woman drinks alcohol several times a week:
- must take at least a 2-day break from alcohol
- it should not exceed 60 ml of vodka or 1 glass of wine (200 ml capacity) or 1 half-liter beer.
In total, during the week, she should not drink more than 140 g of pure alcohol, which is equivalent to 2 bottles of wine (0.75 ml), 420 ml of vodka or 7 half-liter bottles of beer.
What to do in the Event of Alcohol Poisoning?
Vomiting is especially dangerous in case of alcohol poisoning. If the patient is poorly positioned, he or she may choke on food and, consequently, suffocate. Therefore, appropriate rescue measures must be taken: first, the person should be placed in a universal position, which is a safe side position. When the patient’s condition is not too serious and it slowly starts to improve, then it is not necessary to call for outside help. In such a situation, you need to focus mainly on hydrating the person, replenishing the deficiencies of vitamins, glucose and electrolytes. Hospitalization may be necessary in serious cases. However, in extreme cases, there is a need to connect the patient to a respirator.
Summary
The alcohol in the body immediately enters the bloodstream and from there to the brain. It causes modifications in the central nervous system, which may include: changes in behavior, mood and thinking. The first stage of alcohol’s action is primarily arousal (euphoric state, relaxation), but alcohol is mainly a depressant. It has a suppressive effect, and its excessive consumption leads to fatigue, drowsiness and slowing down, which can be observed especially in the second phase of action. The psychoactive effect of alcohol is the stronger the higher its concentration in the blood. People who use alcohol are often unaware that they can get intoxicated with it. It also happens that they consume alcohol from an unknown source. There are a lot of patients poisoned with alcohol in Polish hospitals. Sometimes there are situations in which, despite the help, a person dies because the alcohol level in his blood exceeds the acceptable limits. Not only adequate help, but also quick diagnosis in the event of alcohol poisoning allows you to reduce the negative consequences of excessive drinking.
