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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffA number of factors can increase your risk of alcohol poisoning, including:
- Your age. Young teens and college students are most likely to binge drink, and because many are first-time or inexperienced drinkers, they're particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. Yet contrary to popular belief, the majority of deaths from alcohol poisoning occur in people age 45 to 54.
- Your sex. Traditionally, boys and men have been far more likely to have alcohol poisoning — and to binge drink — than girls and women have. In recent years, however, the gap has narrowed. More women are drinking than in the past, and more are binge drinking. Women are also more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol in general because they produce less of an enzyme that slows the release of alcohol in the stomach.
- Your size and weight. The smaller and thinner your build, the more quickly your body absorbs alcohol, making you more susceptible to alcohol poisoning.
- Your overall health. Having health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes, makes you more vulnerable to the damaging effects of alcohol.
- Your food consumption. Having food in your stomach slightly slows — but doesn't prevent — alcohol from entering your bloodstream.
- Your drug use. Combining alcohol with other drugs — including some prescription medications — greatly increases your risk of a fatal alcohol overdose.
References
- Watson WA et al. 2004 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2005;23(5):589-666.
- Facts about alcohol poisoning. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.">http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/OtherAlcoholInformation/factsAboutAlcoholPoisoning.aspx. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Alcohol poisoning. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/PEOPLE/outreach/SafeSobr/15qp/web/idalc.html. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Alcohol alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa37.htm. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Woolfenden S, et al. Children and adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication/self-poisoning presenting to the emergency department. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2002;156(4):345-348.
- Young-Hee Y, et al. Accidental alcohol poisoning mortality. National Institute on Alcohol Dependency. http://www.nicd.us/alcoholpoisoning.html. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
