We’ve all seen it. That one guest that had just a little too much to drink – one glass right after the other after the other. Yes, at first, he may have seemed like he was having a great time, but after a few hours, his body could no longer take the abuse from the alcohol – he finally goes unconscious.
If large amounts of alcohol is consumed in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning may occur. A person with alcohol poisoning needs immediate medical attention. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, call for emergency medical help right away!
Alcohol poisoning signs and symptoms include:
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow breathing (less than eight breaths a minute)
- Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
- Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
- Low body temperature (hypothermia)
- Passing out (unconsciousness) and cannot be woken up
So what do we do once he goes unconscious? The most important element is to keep his mouth angled towards the ground to prevent him from vomiting into his lungs (or aspirating).
Place this person in the RECOVER POSITION (as shown below).
DO NOT leave this person alone. DO NOT let him “sleep” it off somewhere. Only TIME will help the intoxication fade away. If the person stops breathing, CPR must be started!
Visit CPRSociety.org to become CPR certified.
Now let’s see the recovery position in action!
