Facts About Alcohol Poisoning
Lethal Concentration
Substance abuse researchers use the term “lethal dose” (LD) to describe the dose (or “concentration” when discussing alcohol) that leads to death in half of the population (LD: 50). Most substance abuse experts agree that blood alcohol concentrations in the 0.40% to 0.50% range satisfy the LD: 50 prerequisite.
The “blood alcohol concentration” is the percentage of alcohol in the blood after it has been absorbed by the stomach and entered the blood supply.
Alcohol Poisoning: A Definition
Based on the preliminary work done above, it is possible to construct a working definition of the term “alcohol poisoning.” Alcohol poisoning is a dangerous and often fatal outcome of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol that results in blood alcohol concentrations from 0.40% to .50% or higher. It is important to note that “binge drinking” (consuming five or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting) can also result in alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol And Your Body
The way alcohol affects your body is directly related to the amount of alcohol in your blood or your blood alcohol level. The following represents the main variables that affect your blood alcohol level:
- How swiftly you ingest the alcoholic beverage
- How strong the alcoholic drink is
- How rapidly your body metabolizes the alcohol
- How much food is in your stomach at the time you drink
Why Is This Important?
Alcoholism scientists define a “standard drink” as 1.5 ounces of 72-proof distilled spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer, all of which contain roughly .54 ounces of alcohol. Alcoholism researchers have also determined that the average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour.
Now that we know what makes up a “standard drink” and about how long it takes for a “normal” person to metabolize an alcoholic drink, we can discuss “lethal dose” in a more relevant manner:
- A 100-pound man or woman would have to drink 9 or 10 “standard drinks” in less than an hour to reach the LD: 50 level.
- A 200-pound man or woman would have to drink approximately 5 or 6 “standard drinks” per hour for four hours to reach the LD: 50 limit.
Facts About Alcohol Poisoning: Conclusion
Despite the fact that patterns of excessive drinking such as these are not common in most drinking situations, taking part in “drinking games” (such as “Beer Bomb,” “Drunk Driver,” or “Pennies In a Pitcher” that are played at numerous parties) and club “initiations” (such as sorority or fraternity initiations) frequently involve drinking that can, and does, reach fatal doses. Sadly, excessive drinking can result not only in impaired judgment but also in destructive health problems that all too often result in death.
