| |
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-
Semiconsciousness
or unconsciousness
-
Slow,
shallow breaths of 8 or less per minute
-
Lapses
between breaths of more than 8 seconds
-
Cold,
clammy, or bluish skin
-
Strong
odor of alcohol
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How
to Help Someone with Alcohol Poisoning
- Try
to wake the person.
The
first thing you should do is try to find out if the person is
at all attentive. Is he/she unconscious? Can he/she be woken up
at all? Try calling his or her name. Try waking the person up.
You can try pinching the person. Remember alcohol
is a depressant, which will numb the nerves. By pinching, we can
gauge how far along in the 'overdose' scale the person is.
- Turn
the person on his/her side and DO NOT leave him/her unattended.
Turn the person on his or her side. We turn the person on
his/her side so that if he/she gets sick and vomits, the airways
will not be blocked and he/she will not choke. Stay with the person.
Only leave him/her if you have to go to a phone or to get someone
to help you. Monitor breathing. Make sure the person does not
roll onto his/her back.
- Check
Skin Color and Temperature.
How is their skin color and temperature? If a person is breathing
irregularly with a few breaths and then nothing for a while, this
is a sign that medical attention is necessary. If the person's
breathing is too slow or shallow (less than 8 breaths per minute)
or more than 10 seconds between breaths, this is a sign that you
should get help.
- There
are no absolutes; everyone is different.
These are just some of the potential signs of acute
alcohol poisoning. A person might have one or all. There is no
guarantee that, say, if a person is breathing 9 times a minute
they will be fine, or if they are breathing 7 times a minute they
will die. If you cannot wake the person up at all, it is a serious
situation. If you are at all concerned, don't hesitate to
get help.
[Top]
Reference
Chart
Condition |
Treatment |
Trouble
breathing/stops breathing |
Go
immediately to emergency room |
Vomitting |
Try
to keep person sitting up.
If they insist on lying down, make sure they are in
the fetal position.
Watch them to prevent choking. |
Passed
out |
Try
to wake person up.
If you can't, put person in fetal position, Campus Safety & Security x58911 and then 911 |
Fever/chills
or Skin is cold, pale, bluish color, or sweaty |
Call
medical provider or Student Health's 24-hour nurse line (1-800-322-9679) for advice. |
Injured |
Take
the person to the emergency room.
The intoxicated person may not feel pain and tell you
they don't need medical assistance. Do not believe them;
insist that they see a health care provider. |
Paranoia,
confusion, disorientation, or difficulty standing up
or speaking |
Take
the person home and make sure they don't drink anymore.
Try to keep the person awake and calm.
If symptoms persist, call a doctor. |
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What
NOT to do to Someone with Alcohol Poisoning
You
Should Not... |
Because: |
| Put
drunk person in a cold shower. |
Shock
of cold water may cause them to become unconscious. |
Give
a severely drunk person food, liquid, or any medicine to
sober them up. |
Anything
in the mouth of a semiconscious person can cause vomiting,
choking, or inability to breathe. |
Laugh,
provoke, or make fun of the person. |
Egging
a drunk person could make them do something dangerous or regretful. |
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