Symptoms of alcohol intoxication

Alcohol intoxication is not a disease, but since alcohol does modify the usual processes in our body, it is bound to affect our condition. The appearance of characteristic symptoms of intoxication draws a picture, which in case of alcohol overdose can be called clinical (we are talking about ethyl alcohol poisoning, which often happens in hardcore fans of the "green beast").

But the symptomatology that appears in a person who has been drinking is a dynamic phenomenon that changes depending on the amount drunk. At first, the person feels slightly dizzy. His mood rises, and the body feels pleasant lightness and relaxation. At the same time, many people already from the first drink lose control over their actions.

External signs of mild alcohol intoxication are an elevated mood, which encourages a person to make lofty speeches, make toasts (often with sexual overtones), and dance. An excited glittering look, reddening of the skin (especially of the face), caused by a rush of blood, increased appetite can also be considered as signs that a person has "slightly drunk".

Examination of the drinker will show an increased arterial pulse rate and decreased concentration. The absent-mindedness and some awkwardness in movements are poorly realized by the person who has been drinking. On the contrary, the person begins to think that he can do everything and that he is better at it than always. In other words, there is an overestimation of one's abilities, and this can be very dangerous if a person is at work or driving a car, because by depressing the work of the CNS, ethanol thereby reduces the speed of reaction.

The heart rate inalcohol intoxication increases already at the first stage and can reach a hundred beats per minute. One can imagine the strain on the heart, especially in hypertension. Increased heartbeat is the cause of redness of the face and neck. With a small amount of drink it is noticeable only on the cheeks and nose, but as the body "alcoholizes", hyperemia is noted all over the face, extending to the neck and chest.

It should be said that fun quite rarely stops at this stage, because "between the first and the second break a little break", and then the third will come up, especially if a toast is made for those for whom it is a sin not to drink. And light intoxication with its lightness, cheerfulness and absence of heavy thoughts is slowly replaced by intoxication of medium severity.

The state of euphoria has not yet gone anywhere, but it is already noticeably difficult for the person to concentrate, reason and remember past events. He is no longer so actively involved in conversations, moreover, his speech changes, becomes blurred, unintelligible, with frequent changes of tones and moods.

The fact that a person does not participate in everyday conversations does not mean that he or she is less active. On the contrary, a person who has been drinking can turn out to be quite noisy. At first, we are talking about the appearance of anxiety and restlessness. In some people, everything is limited to this, the feeling of euphoria is replaced by depression, deterioration of mood, the appearance of depressive thoughts, etc. Others suddenly have outbursts of aggression directed mainly at other people (relatives, friends, bosses, competitors, etc.).

The effect of alcohol on the brain, where the central parts of the analyzers (vision, hearing, vestibular apparatus, etc.) are located, can be seen by the change in the body's reaction to external stimuli. Thus, already at weak alcohol intoxication the reaction of the eye to light changes. Under the influence of bright light rays, the pupil of the eye usually quickly narrows. With alcohol intoxication for the adaptation of the eye to changes in light takes more time. The more alcohol is drunk, the weaker the response to light becomes, which we observe in the form of pupil dilation. This is clearly visible at a blood alcohol content of 0.1-0.3%.

Violations of the vestibular apparatus manifest themselves in the form of impaired coordination of movements and balance. In this condition, it is difficult for a person to correctly estimate the distance to the object, so the awkwardness in movements and movement is quite understandable. It is easy to imagine the consequences of such a person behind the wheel or at a machine.

Ataxia and increasing dizziness together with the reaction of the gastrointestinal tract to a strong stimulus in the form of alcohol lead to the appearance of other symptoms in the form of nausea and vomiting (although not all). If carbonated drinks are consumed at this stage, hiccups often occur as a result of the pressure of the air-filled stomach on the vagus nerve.

Behavior becomes inadequate and changeable. A person then rushes into battle, showering others with reproaches, uttering threats, smashing everything that gets in his way, having lost the instinct of self-preservation, then suddenly becomes lethargic and easily falls into sleep without getting up from the table. In such a state people most often commit crimes without realizing the consequences of their actions, i.e. They can beat up or even kill and go to sleep without even remembering what happened in the morning.

As the concentration of alcohol in the blood increases, orientation in space and time is disturbed (a person simply does not understand where he is, who surrounds him, how much time has passed). Most people in a state of alcohol intoxication of medium severity quite quickly "black out" (fall asleep), and upon awakening experience headaches, nausea, increased thirst with almost complete lack of appetite for several hours, gagging. All these are symptoms of hangover syndrome, which is noted in those who use alcohol irregularly. The absence of such symptoms when intoxication of medium severity (they usually appear in the evening or in the morning after waking up) may indicate a disease called alcoholism.

Severe alcohol into xication is a painful condition caused by severe intoxication of the body as a result of the administration of large amounts of alcohol within a relatively short period of time. The active metabolite of alcohol in large quantities is a strong poison to the CNS. In addition to strong prolonged vomiting (so the body tries to protect itself from further entry of poison into the bloodstream), this degree of intoxication is characterized by enuresis (urinary incontinence), encopresis (spontaneous defecation).

Most often uncontrolled release of vomit, urine and feces is noted in the state of sleep, out of which the drunk is very difficult. It is easy for a drunk to choke on his own vomit, because motor functions and their control by the CNS are seriously impaired. Not realizing his condition and not being able to timely and correctly respond to the gagging (turn so that the vomit could freely leave the oral cavity, without blocking the airways) a person is seriously at risk. Sometimes loss of consciousness is noted, but even after regaining consciousness, the person remains in a semi-conscious state for a long time, so may be seriously injured or choked by vomit without even realizing it.

Hallucinations in alcohol intoxication are not a characteristic symptom. They are characteristic of a nonspecific paranoid form of intoxication. In this case, the drinker at some point appears unreasonable fear, the feeling that he is being followed and wants to harm, there are suspicions of a conspiracy against him by close people. It is possible to disable memory of faces. A person ceases to recognize acquaintances and relatives, there is a deception of vision (substitution of faces), which becomes the reason for the desire to run away, hide. In the end, the drunk can fall asleep somewhere in a secluded corner and wake up after a while with a hangover.

It should be said that a person in severe alcohol intoxication is almost always poorly oriented in what is happening, although sometimes it is not noticeable outwardly. In some cases, bystanders have the impression that a fully conscious but somewhat illogical scenario is being played out in front of them.

Control of behavior and body functions is absent at virtually all levels, hence insensitivity, lack of emotion and facial expressions, a marked decrease in pain sensitivity (death from pain shock is definitely not threatening). In some cases, it is possible to observe movements that are more like automatic, and the absence of the usual reaction to pain (one's own or another's), to hear inadequate statements. It is even possible to become a victim of antisocial behavior on the part of the drinker, who was in prostration before. But the alcoholic himself will not realize the wrongness of his actions.

High concentrations of alcohol act similarly to anesthesia because of the strong suppression of the CNS. But when administering anesthesia, the doctor necessarily controls the concentration of the solution, understanding how serious the consequences of inhibition of the nervous system can be, because it is responsible for regulating the acts of breathing and heartbeat. A drunk person is unable to control himself and the volume of alcohol, taking into account its ethanol content, so severe intoxication often ends in coma, serious heart failure (pressure drop, collapse), respiratory arrest, i.e. Death, if emergency care is not provided in time.

Standards for alcohol intoxication

Let's start with the fact that ethanol is always present in our body. We have already mentioned such a concept as endogenous alcohol, which is a by-product of glucose metabolism and some other physiological processes in the body. We know that the process of fermentation always takes place with the formation of alcohol (this is the basis for both industrial and home production of alcoholic beverages), and such processes occur in our body every day. Plus such useful soft drinks as kefir and kvass, prepared by fermentation, also contain a small amount of alcohol, which enters our body, not to mention medicines in the form of tinctures. So the complete absence of alcohol in the blood is far from the norm and can be observed only in a child.

It is impossible to say unequivocally what amount of alcohol is necessary for a particular person to feel intoxication. Such norms are subjective, so for one person a shot of vodka is a drop in the sea, while another person is already falling off his feet from this "drop". Everything depends on the age of the patient, the peculiarities of functioning of the organs responsible for absorption, metabolism and excretion of etalon and its derivatives from the body, the presence of chronic diseases, sex and weight of the person.

Thus, a woman needs a smaller dose of alcohol than a man to show the first signs of alcohol intoxication. If they drink equally, the woman's blood will still have a higher concentration of alcohol, which is due to the lower water content in the female body, and therefore in the blood. No wonder that the fair sex get drunk faster and earn severe pathologies of the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and heart.

The speed of intoxication depends on the specifics of alcohol consumption. Alcohol begins to be absorbed into the blood already in the lumen of the stomach, Alcohol consumed on an empty stomach, absorbed faster, so euphoria comes almost immediately after drinking. But fatty and enveloping food creates a kind of protective barrier between the walls of the stomach and alcohol, which does not allow ethanol quickly and in large concentrations to penetrate into the blood. If a person wants to have fun and not immediately fall into a stupor or pass out (at best right at the table, at worst - under it), it is worth eating beforehand and snacking well on what you drink.

The speed of drinking also plays a role. A glass of vodka drunk in a volley can quickly incapacitate the drinker, make him fall face down in the dish or shamefully "wet himself". But savoring alcohol, i.e. Drinking the entire dose in small portions, causes gradual intoxication, because the concentration of alcohol in the blood in this case changes gradually, with the arrival of a new dose of part of the previous already processed.

Modern man wonders how in the old days Russian young men regularly consumed strong drinks, which did not prevent them from also standing firmly on their feet, plowing the land, fighting with enemies and doing a lot of hard work requiring strength and attention. But legends tell about bogatyrs who are such not only because of their strength and health, but also because of their great weight.

And we know that the volume of blood circulating in the body is not constant and is proportional to body weight, i.e. A person with a body weight of 100 kg will have more blood than someone whose weight is barely 60-70 kg. Alcohol concentration is calculated from the ratio of the amount of pure ethanol per unit of weight, it is clear that with the same amount of alcohol drunk, the concentration of alcohol in the blood of a person with less weight will be higher than that of a modern "rich man".

By the way, the weight reference point explains the fact that women (their weight is usually lower than men of about the same build), teenagers and children get drunk faster and need smaller doses than men.

The speed of alcohol assimilation, and thus the onset of alcoholic euphoria, largely depends on the individual characteristics of the human enzyme system. We are talking about the already mentioned enzymes ADH and ALDH, involved in the conversion of ethyl alcohol. The activity of these enzymes is genetically determined. Owners of fast enzymes get drunk to a lesser extent than those who are destined to possess slow and lazy enzymes.

The sequential conversion of ethanol to the much more toxic poison acetaldehyde and then to the non-hazardous acetic acid in people with fast enzymes occurs with much less loss. Not only do they get drunk less, but they are much slower to get "alcoholic" diseases. But here you can only complain about nature, which has given you a modest constitution or slow enzymes. You can't argue that everyone has his own individual norm.

Needless to say, the speed and degree of intoxication depends on the strength of the drinks consumed. All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages contain ethanol and various auxiliary substances. Another thing is that the content of alcohol per unit volume differs in different strength liquids, so to get the same concentration of pure ethanol in the blood beer or wine should be drunk much more than vodka or cognac. And the speed and strength of intoxication directly depend on the level of alcohol in the body.

Usually people give preference to a certain type of alcoholic beverages and over time, through experience, still determine their norm. However, not everyone and not always manages to adhere to it, remaining in a conscious state until the end of the feast.

Criteria for alcohol intoxication

So far, we have talked about individual alcohol standards that allow a person to remain so during an event involving alcohol. But while we are talking about everyday life, we are only responsible for what happens to us, and when a drunk person "goes out in public", comes to work or gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, they can be a danger to themselves and others. Many such misdemeanors (crimes against the background of alcohol consumption, traffic accidents, violations of labor discipline) should be punishable by law. But how to determine that a person is drunk and dangerous, if everyone has his or her own norm.

The norms that are defined by law to determine the degree of alcohol intoxication have nothing to do with individual norms. They are equal for all and are determined by the amount of ethyl alcohol entering the body, which can be determined by the alcohol content per unit volume of blood or air. To calculate the alcohol content in the blood at a given moment (because time sometimes plays an important role) it is necessary to conduct an express analysis of this liquid, which is not very convenient in "field" conditions (otherwise the valiant traffic police would have to acquire a lot of mobile laboratories). The good thing is that ethanol is a volatile substance and is easily detected in exhaled air. It is on this fact that the rapid determination of the fact and degree of alcohol intoxication (in ppm) is based.

Let's try to understand how ppm relates to alcohol concentration. A ppm is the amount of ethanol contained in a unit volume. In this case, 1 liter (1000 ml) is taken as a unit of volume. The word "ppm" itself translates as "per thousand", and actually means a tenth of a percent.

The ppm measures the degree of salinity of water, the slope of railroad tracks or roofs of houses, concentrations of solutions, and, of course, the alcohol content in the blood. Traffic police officers usually take measurements with a special alkotester (tube), which determines the concentration of ethyl alcohol vapor in exhaled air. The figures measured in blood and air will differ, but translating them into ppm helps to develop general criteria for alcohol into xication regardless of the material for measurement.

Thus, when measuring the level of ethyl alcohol in blood, we assume that 1 ppm is 1 ml of alcohol in a liter of blood. Air and blood are substances with different densities, which explains the difference in alcohol concentration in the same organism measured in different media. This difference is tangible: the same amount of ethanol can be detected in 1 cubic meter of blood and approximately 2100-2200 cubic meters of air. By knowing the concentration of ethanol in air, it is possible to roughly determine its concentration in blood (and vice versa).

But it's not that important to us. All the calculations are done for us by devices, so there is no need to rack our brains. But what are the criteria of norm and "pathology" (by pathology we mean alcohol intoxication - a condition in which the functionality of the CNS is disturbed to such an extent that it can lead to certain consequences) it is necessary to know, especially for those who drive a car independently.

Any motorist simply needs to know at what ppm reading a person is liable for driving under the influence of alcohol. These figures may vary from country to country (this is important for those who like to travel). The boundary indicator is usually a concentration of 0.2-0.3 ppm, although in this case the question of alcohol consumption is considered controversial. After all, even endogenous alcohol can give such values, not to mention fermented and fermented drinks, medicines, etc.

A reading of 0.2-0.5 ppm is considered a sign of alcohol consumption. So the index of 0.4-0.5 ppm gives 2 shots of vodka or cognac, 0.5 liters of wine or champagne, 1 liter of beer. These are approximate calculations, which are more characteristic of the male organism. Women will get their 0.2 ppm, which is considered the limit in Ukraine, if they drink about 1.5-2 times less than men. So, if you weigh 45 kilograms, the indicator of 0.45 ppm will be after drinking 1 shot (50 ml) of 40-degree drink or a glass (150 ml) of wine of medium strength.

How dangerous is 0.2-0.5 ppm of alcohol in the body? The weakening of internal control starts already from 0.2 ppm, and from 0.3 ppm there is a decrease in memory, attention, overestimation of one's abilities, etc.

Light alcohol intoxication corresponds to 0.5 to 1.5 ppm. Although it would be more correct to move the lower limit closer to 0.3 ppm. Within such limits, there are already disorders of coordination of movement, balance, memory, aggressiveness, weakened reaction speed, hearing and vision can fail.

A gap between 1.5 and 2.5 ppm corresponds to moderate intoxication. In reality, this is severe alcohol intoxication. In such a state, the best thing to do is to go to bed "away from sin". Going to work or driving is out of the question (in simple terms, the drunk is not thinking straight and can pass out at any time).

Severe alcohol intoxication is diagnosed when the level of ethanol in the blood is above 2.5 ppm. This is a semi-conscious state when a person is unable to make adequate decisions or attend to themselves.

Acute (severe) alcohol intoxication is a condition that requires medical attention, because it involves a high concentration of toxic substances in the body that affect vital organs. When 4-5 ppm is reached, a person can simply die.

Determining the degree of alcohol into xication in ppm is very convenient, because in this case you do not have to take into account the errors associated with the weight of the subject. However, it should be understood that different people may need different amounts of alcohol to reach 0.5 or 1 ppm.

Concomitant use

It is popularly believed that the least harm to the body is caused by pure alcohol, which means high-quality vodka without coloring and flavoring additives. This opinion was formed due to the fact that the use of good vodka within the norm usually does not cause a hangover syndrome. But hangover is a clear sign of intoxication of the body.

It is believed that during a feast you should give preference to one type of alcoholic beverage. It is undesirable to mix vodka and wine, especially carbonated wine. Intoxication in this case comes much faster because of the carbon dioxide contained in the wine, quickly absorbed in the lumen of the stomach. Signs of intoxication in the form of nausea and severe headache appear faster.

For the same reason, you should not wash down alcohol with any carbonated drinks, especially sweet drinks with coloring agents. The combination of vodka with juice and sweet drinks, popularly called "screwdriver" (officially there is a cocktail with this name, which has 2 components: vodka and orange juice), can actually just roll off your feet, causing severe dizziness and weakness in the legs. This is a great opportunity to relax to the full and have fun, but until the moment when there will be nausea, accompanied by repeated bouts of vomiting and indomitable headache. Such a joke turns out to be the strongest blow to your own body, with the consequences of which will have to fight for the next 1-3 days.

By the way, sweet appetizers on the holiday table often become another of the causes of a heavy morning hangover. Alcohol utilization in the body is slow, so by the time the sweet table arrives, most of the products of alcohol metabolism are still in an active state.

Any chemical additives and sugars, reacting with alcohol, will aggravate the condition of the drinker, leading to severe poisoning. But natural coloring agents can be found only in good brandy and quality wine. It is true that wine - a drink made by fermentation and containing by-products of this process, even without colorants can cause headaches and dyspepsia in the morning (especially red wines).

Cheap drinks are packed with "chemistry" that gives them an attractive color and taste, so they can provide a severe hangover even when consumed in isolation.

Alcoholic cocktails are a separate topic. The multi-component composition of such drinks is not always designed with chemical interaction in mind. Adding fruits and fruit juices, combining incompatible alcoholic beverages and sodas is not the best way to relax without consequences. Even though some cocktails are inferior in strength to vodka and cognac, but the pleasant (often sweet) taste and aroma artfully mask the presence of alcohol, which becomes a cause of abuse. One glass of cocktail is unlikely to give you a headache, but 3 or more glasses is a clear overkill that can spoil even the sunniest and most pleasant morning.

So, we have talked about inappropriate combinations of food and alcohol on the table, but did not touch upon the topic of drug interaction, because not all people who drink alcohol are absolutely healthy. And when we feel worse after drinking, we often resort to medication.

For example, the well-known to many "Aspirin" is considered a reliable remedy for hangovers. One of the negative effects of alcohol is considered to be the ability to affect the rheological characteristics of blood. Under the influence of alcohol there is a sticking of red blood cells and the formation of conglomerates of red blood cells (clots). "Aspirin", which belongs to the category of coagulants, prevents thrombosis, and as an NSAID helps relieve headaches and swelling.

On the one hand, you can get tangible benefits from combining Aspirin and alcohol, but there is another side of the coin. Acetylsalicylic acid is a strong irritant for the stomach like alcohol. That is, we are dealing with damage to the cells of the gastric mucosa with the combined effect of two strong irritants. This applies to all NSAIDs and other types of drugs with an aggressive effect on the mucosa.

Now let's see. Both alcohol and aspirin irritate the inner surface of the stomach, and may eventually lead to the formation of wounds (erosions and ulcers) on it. Like any wound, with subsequent irritation, the ulcer may begin to bleed, while aspirin, with its antithrombotic ability, will only exacerbate the bleeding.

Alcoholics with a history of alcoholism start having liver problems. Not only that, ethyl alcohol increases the side effects of aspirin, and in particular toxicity. The liver, as the body's main filter, is the first to take the hit.

Some drinkers claim that it is better to drink too much than too little. In this seemingly illogical statement, there is still a small amount of truth. A hard-drinking person has no problem falling asleep, because he or she has no problem passing out even in the most inappropriate place (for example, face in the salad). But with light alcohol intoxication in a state of cheerfulness and some internal uplift to fall asleep can be problematic. Alcohol at this stage usually depresses only thinking and some mental processes, while the emotional background does not suffer. The point is that the process does not end with stimulation of the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. GABA in turn stimulates the production of excitatory mediator glutamate (glutamic acid), synthesized in the neurons of the cerebellum. Try to put to bed a drunkard in an agitated state, if he will constantly jump out of bed and demand "continuation of the banquet".

The main helpers in the fight against insomnia are considered sleeping pills. But the question remains: can sleeping pills be taken with alcohol intoxication, because such a drug, like alcohol, depresses the activity of the CNS? How dangerous is such a combination?

Almost all drugs with sedative and sleeping effects are drugs that affect the central nervous system to a greater or lesser extent. Alcohol, having a similar effect, is able to enhance both specific and non-specific (side) effects of these drugs. Taking a tablet of sleeping pills against the background of alcohol intoxication, it can be considered that you take 2 tablets, i.e. Double dose.

The most popular drugs with sedative effect, which are lying in almost every medicine cabinet and are used to combat insomnia, are barbiturates. For example, "Corvalol", "Barboval", etc. And not everyone knows how dangerous such drugs are for a drunk person. Depressing the CNS, they reduce tactile sensitivity (a drunk can fall asleep in an uncomfortable position, squeezing the limbs and provoking prolonged oxygen starvation of their tissues), weaken the control of breathing (up to its arrest due to excessive inhibition of the respiratory center).

Benzodiazepines, and in particular "Phenazepam", are classified as potent psychoactive drugs from the category of tranquilizers. They are used mainly in inpatient settings (most often for the treatment of psychiatric disorders). Such disorders are not uncommon among alcoholics with a long history, but the treatment of these patients is carried out under the strict control of a doctor.

Alcohol consumption against the background of treatment with benzodeazepines is fraught with intensification of side effects of the drug: toxic effects on the liver, depression, muscle weakness (including respiratory muscles, which affects the nature of breathing).

Z drugs - sleeping pills with names with the letter "Z", deprived of side effects inherent to benzodeazepines, although they bind to the same GABA receptor sites (similar to alcohol). The combined use of alcohol and drugs of this group can lead to memory loss, depression and other unpleasant effects.

Synthetic analogs of melatonin ("Ramelton", "Melaksen") in combination with alcohol do not cause life-threatening conditions, although some unpleasant effects are still present: insomnia may worsen, dyspeptic phenomena appear, headaches, indicating severe intoxication of the body.

Sometimes histamine H-receptor blockers are used to combat sleep disorders. These drugs, in addition to anti-allergic effect, also have a sedative effect. The drug "Donormil" and the better known drug "Dimedrol" - the brightest representatives of this group - in alcohol intoxication are also capable of producing serious side effects. Their combined use with alcohol can cause hallucinations, memory loss, spatial and temporal disorientation, unpleasant symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract.

As you can see, the combination of alcohol and sleeping pills can cause a worsening of the patient's condition, although some of them are used in the treatment of withdrawal syndrome (under the supervision of a doctor!). To combat insomnia at home, means with a mild sedative effect that calm the nervous system, but do not have a myorelaxing effect ("Aphobazol", "Adaptol", "Selank") are more suitable. Even when interacting with alcohol, such drugs will not affect the respiratory system and its centers in the brain, because this effect is considered the most dangerous (a person can fall asleep and not wake up because of respiratory disorders).

You can restore sleep with the help of herbs, but it is better to choose herbs with a mild sedative effect (chamomile, mint, melissa). But motherwort and valerian should not be trifled with. The sedative effect of these herbs is more pronounced, and in combination with alcohol is even more intensified. And this can have such consequences as respiratory disorders, slow heartbeat, etc.

Alcohol intoxication can be accompanied by various distressing symptoms. It is quite understandable the desire of "victims" to get rid of them as soon as possible. But this should be done with caution. If the instructions for the drug indicate incompatibility with alcohol or give other warnings about undesirable combinations, it is worth refusing such treatment. There are no suitable means in the medicine cabinet, self-hypnosis will help, if, of course, a person is still able to think adequately.