This Month in Government Information

Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose

Anyone who consumes too much alcohol too quickly may be in danger of an alcohol overdose. This is especially true of individuals who engage in binge drinking, defined as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to .08 percent or higher, typically occurring after a woman consumes 4 drinks or a man consumes 5 drinks in about 2 hours; as well as high-intensity drinking, defined as drinking two or more times the binge-drinking thresholds for women and men. Teenagers and young adults who drink may be at particular risk for alcohol overdose. Research shows that teens and college-age young adults often engage in binge drinking and high-intensity drinking. Drinking such large quantities of alcohol can overwhelm the body’s ability to break down and clear alcohol from the bloodstream. This leads to rapid increases in BAC and significantly impairs brain and other bodily functions.

SUDOC number: HE 20.8302:OV 2

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ONLINE version: Understanding the Dangers of Alcohol Overdose