How Long Does Alcohol Poisoning Last? Symptoms, Timeline & Treatment

Key Takeaways

• Call 9-1-1 immediately if someone shows signs of alcohol poisoning, including unconsciousness, slow or irregular breathing, seizures, or bluish skin.
• Symptoms can last several hours to over a day depending on blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and personal factors. BAC can keep rising even after drinking stops.¹
• Heavy alcohol use contributed to over 140,000 deaths yearly between 2015 and 2019.²
• Reduce overdose risk by eating before drinking, pacing your drinks, and avoiding mixing alcohol with other substances like opioids or sleep medications.

Alcohol is a commonly used substance in the United States. Adults in the United States drink billions of alcoholic beverages each year.

Some people drink large amounts in a short period of time. Binge drinking means drinking a lot in a short time. It often means at least four drinks for females or five drinks for males.³

While many people drink alcohol in social settings, drinking too much can be dangerous. Heavy drinking, even in a single session, can raise your risk of health problems, violence, accidents, alcohol overdose, and death.¹

If someone shows signs of an alcohol overdose, call 9-1-1 so they can get medical care right away. Alcohol overdose can become fatal, especially if the person is unconscious.

What Is Alcohol Poisoning?

According to the NIAAA, alcohol poisoning happens when someone drinks so much alcohol that parts of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and body temperature start to slow down or stop working.¹ People may also call this alcohol overdose or alcohol toxicity (harmful effects from alcohol in the body).

An alcohol overdose needs emergency medical care because it can be life-threatening.¹

When you drink alcohol, your body absorbs it into your bloodstream through your stomach and small intestine. Your liver breaks down alcohol at a steady rate, but that rate can vary based on factors like age and other medications.⁴

If you drink alcohol faster than your liver can break it down, alcohol stays in your bloodstream and can cause symptoms of intoxication (being drunk).⁴

The alcohol level in your bloodstream is called your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). BAC can keep rising even after you stop drinking because your body may keep absorbing alcohol through your digestive tract.¹

The effects of alcohol poisoning can last for several hours or longer as your body breaks down the alcohol. Symptoms may continue or get worse even after drinking stops.¹

A very high BAC can be a sign of alcohol poisoning and may be fatal.⁵ Statistics on alcohol overdose show that:

• Binge drinking contributes to over 40% of alcohol-related deaths.
• Heavy alcohol use causes 20% of deaths in adults in the United States ages 20 to 40.
• Between 2015 and 2019, heavy alcohol use resulted in over 140,000 deaths yearly, or over 380 deaths each day.²
• In 2020, 11,616 people in the United States ages 65 and older died from alcohol-induced causes.²
• Deaths from alcohol-induced causes in people ages 65 and older increased by more than 18% between 2019 and 2020.²

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning symptoms can vary from person to person. Some factors can also affect your risk.

Factors that can affect overdose include:

• Binge drinking, which can raise your BAC quickly.³
• Drinking alcohol while also taking opioids, benzodiazepines (a type of sedative medication), or prescription sleep medications. Mixing these substances can make effects stronger and raise overdose risk.¹
• Whether you ate before drinking.⁴
• Gender.
• Age.
• Whether you have tolerance to alcohol. A person with higher tolerance may look more alert at a BAC that could cause life-threatening symptoms in someone without tolerance.¹

Higher BAC levels can lead to more severe symptoms:

• 0.20 to 0.29% may cause confusion, vomiting, and blackouts
• 0.30 to 0.39% raises the risk of unconsciousness and respiratory depression (slow or stopped breathing)
• Above 0.40% may lead to coma, respiratory failure, or death⁶

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning can include:¹

• Breathing that is very slow, shallow, or irregular.
• Confusion.
• A very slow heart rate.
• Inability to wake the person up.
• Little or no response to stimuli.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Seizures.
• Skin that is blue, clammy, or pale.
• Very low body temperature.
• Vomiting or choking, especially while asleep or unconscious.

Dangers of Alcohol Overdose

Alcohol's effects on the body can build up over time. Drinking too much in a short period can also harm your health.¹

An alcohol overdose can put you in unsafe situations and may lead to serious health problems. It can also be fatal.¹

Heavy drinking can affect your judgment. It may raise your risk of having unprotected sex and getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).⁷

People who survive an alcohol overdose may have health problems, including:⁸

• Heart problems like abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, or stroke.
• Brain damage.
• Liver damage.
• Memory loss (blackouts).

Prevention and Help for Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol overdose prevention often starts with safer drinking habits. If you choose to drink, these tips may help lower your risk:⁹

• Avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Foods that take longer to digest, such as foods high in protein and fat, can slow how fast your body absorbs alcohol.⁴
• Drink slowly. Your liver can only break down a certain amount of alcohol over time, so drinking more than that can raise your intoxication level and increase overdose risk.⁴
• Track how much you drink. Having several drinks, especially in a short time, can raise overdose risk.³
• Check in with how you're feeling. If you're tired or stressed, you may feel alcohol's effects more strongly.
• Limit carbonated or sweet drinks. Carbonation and sugary mixers can help your body absorb alcohol faster.⁴
• Avoid mixing alcohol with certain medications or drugs. If you're taking opioids, benzodiazepines, or sleep medications, alcohol can increase sedation and raise overdose risk.¹

If you think someone is experiencing an alcohol overdose, call 9-1-1 right away. Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening, and emergency medical care helps as soon as possible.

Your body can keep absorbing alcohol even after you stop drinking. Getting help early can make a difference.¹

After you call for help, these steps may help while you wait:

• Stay with the person. If they're conscious, help them sit upright on the ground.
• If they're unconscious, lay them on their side to lower the risk of choking if they vomit.
• When medical personnel arrive, share what they drank and how much, whether they took other drugs or medications, and any known health conditions or allergies.

Treatment After an Alcohol Overdose

Treatment for an alcohol overdose may lead to treatment for alcohol addiction. This can include a range of treatment settings and methods that fit your needs, including:

• Medical detox, where staff monitor your condition and may give medications to ease alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal can become life-threatening.¹
• Inpatient treatment, where you stay at a facility for several weeks, and staff is available around the clock as you receive group and individual counseling.
• Outpatient treatment, where you attend scheduled counseling sessions at a level of intensity that matches your needs, and you live at home.
• Recovery aftercare, where you continue support after treatment, such as alumni meetings, support groups, counseling, recovery housing, or step-down care into a less intensive level of treatment.

Start Your Recovery Journey

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