According to the Federal Statistical Office, more than 100,000 people are treated annually for alcohol poisoning in hospitals in Germany. The age group between 15 and 20 years is particularly affected. With around 20,000 cases (2007), they account for the largest proportion of alcohol poisoning.
However, the age group between 10 and 15 years is also well represented with almost 3000 cases per year, which shows that alcohol is also relatively popular among children. While the number of cases of alcohol poisoning among children between 10 and 15 years has remained relatively constant over the last 10 years, the number of cases in the age group 15-20 years increased by almost 50% from 13,000 to 20,000. Alcohol poisoning is not clearly defined, as different blood alcohol levels in patients can have different effects on different individuals.
One divides much more into four stages, depending on the symptoms. The first stage describes an excitation and manifests itself through symptoms such as increased talkativeness, disinhibition, and disturbance of balance (from about 0.8 per mille). Almost everyone has been in this stage at some time or another.
It is defined by a blood alcohol concentration of between 0.2 and 2.0 per thousand. The body itself is able to break down about 0.1 to 0.2 per thousand per hour. This is followed by the second stage, or hypnosis stage, from 2.0 to 2.5.
Signs of this are vomiting, memory loss, visual and movement disorders, as well as aggressiveness. In the third stage, the anaesthetic stage, unconsciousness and shock occur – first signs of a serious, life-threatening situation. The stage of anaesthesia is defined from a blood alcohol concentration of 2.5 to 4.0 per thousand.
Alcohol poisoning with values above 4.0 per thousand is usually fatal. Death usually occurs due to circulatory failure and respiratory arrest. The alcohol has a paralysing effect on the muscles, so that the important heart and respiratory muscles no longer work.
It is not for nothing that stage 4 is also called the asphyxiation stage, or “stage of pulselessness”. In individual cases, blood alcohol levels above 4 per mille can also be fatal, although this is usually the case with long-term alcoholics or habitual drinkers. Occasionally cases of patients with 10 and more per mille are also known.
However, these are absolute exceptions – blood alcohol concentrations in the double-digit range are very likely to be fatal, even for “hard-drinking” people. Synonyms for alcohol poisoning are “alcohol intoxication” – short “Alkintoxikation”, or C2-Abusus, which is derived from the structural formula of ethanol – C2H5OH. In the rescue service, the term “C2-ler” is therefore also used – in a somewhat encoded form.
Are you interested in how psychologists would classify your personal alcohol consumption? Simply carry out our alcohol consumption self-test! Alcohol poisoning with values above 4.0 per thousand is usually fatal.
Death usually occurs due to circulatory failure and respiratory arrest. The alcohol has a paralysing effect on the muscles, so that the important heart and respiratory muscles no longer work. It is not for nothing that stage 4 is also called the asphyxiation stage, or “stage of pulselessness”.
In individual cases, blood alcohol levels above 4 per mille can also be fatal, although this is usually the case with long-term alcoholics or habitual drinkers. Occasionally cases of patients with 10 and more per mille are also known. However, these are absolute exceptions – blood alcohol concentrations in the double-digit range are very likely to be fatal, even for “hard-drinking” people.
Synonyms for alcohol poisoning are “alcohol intoxication” – short “Alkintoxikation”, or C2-Abusus, which is derived from the structural formula of ethanol – C2H5OH. In the rescue service, the term “C2-ler” is therefore also used – in a somewhat encoded form. Are you interested in how psychologists would classify your personal alcohol consumption? Simply carry out our alcohol consumption self-test!
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