Alcohol Poisoning
What are the signs?
- Unconscious or semi-conscious and cannot be awakened
- Skin is cold or clammy and has pale or bluish color
- Slowed heart rate
- Slow breathing – less than eight breaths per minute
- Vomiting while “sleeping” or passed out, and not waking up after vomiting.
- Eyes rolling back into head
If a person has ANY of these symptoms, they need help!
- Don’t leave the person alone—turn the person on his/her side to prevent choking in case of vomiting.
- It’s important to get help ASAP. Your friend will appreciate the fact that you care, and you will NOT get in trouble for helping someone with alcohol poisoning.
- PLEASE, do not be afraid to help a friend or fellow student in need!
The Basics of BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration)
What affects BAC?
- How much you drink – the more you drink, the higher your BAC
- How quickly you drink – your BAC rises faster if you don’t let your body catch up to process the alcohol
- Your biological sex – BAC tends to rise more quickly in women than in men. Men have 25% more of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol; women are typically smaller with higher percentages of body fat for reproduction purposes. Alcohol stays in fat cells and takes longer to oxidize.
- Your size – the larger you are, the more water your body contains, diluting the alcohol
- What you’ve eaten recently – food slows the absorption of alcohol, especially if it’s loaded with protein and carbohydrates
What is an actual drink drink?
- 12 ounces of beer or malt beverage
- 4 – 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of hard liquor (80 proof)
BAC Behavior Charts
Behavior chart according to BAC (some info adapted from multiple sources: brad21.org, partysmart.osu.edu, nhtsa.dot.gov, ctclearinghouse.org)
