Alcohol Poisoning

What is Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol Poisoning occurs when someone has consumed more alcohol than their body can safely metabolize.
Warning Signs Include:
- Won't wake up
- Vomiting while passed out
- Slow/Irregular Breathing
- Extreme Confusion
- Pale Skin

Call 911 immediately. UCSB prioritizes medical matters over legal matters, so do not hesitate to call for help.
Do not let them "sleep it off". Even though the person may have stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and alcohol levels continue to rise. If left alone, the person’s symptoms could get worse.
Do not try to make the person vomit. Someone who is very drunk has an impaired gag reflex and may choke on their vomit or accidentally inhale vomit into their lungs.
Turn the person on their side to prevent choking while vomiting.
Stay calm.

If someone with alcohol poisoning is left untreated, they can suffer from:
- hypothermia (severe low body temperature)
- heart beats become irregular or stop
- breathing slows, becomes irregular or stops
- low blood sugar (leads to seizures)
- severe dehydration
- death
Even if the person lives, an alcohol overdose can cause irreversible brain damage.

Not sure if you should call? Just Call 911. It is FREE for an ambulance to come check someone out and see if they are okay. Let the medical professionals make the educated decision.
If someone needs to be taken to the hospital the ambulance ride is 100% covered by the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
- Some private insurance companies also cover ambulance rides. Those that don’t often offer payment plans to cover the charges.
Serious medical repercussions or death are much worse than a hospital bill.
Information on Facebook: facebook.com/JustCall911

Content adapted from the UCSB Alcohol & Drug Program.