Author: John Carter

Alcohol use and death by suicide: A meta-analysis of 33 studies

However, a case of a cancer patient who committed suicide consuming two bottles of spirit was recently investigated and the conclusions are presented. The post-mortem cardiac blood and vitreous humor alcohol level was found to be 9.0 and 6.2 mg/ml respectively. U.S. deaths from causes fully due to excessive alcohol use increased during the past 2 decades.

Among both males and females, alcohol-attributable death rates increased for most cause of death categories. The average number of sex-specific alcohol-attributable deaths increased among all age groups from 2016–2017 to 2020–2021(Figure). The average annual number of deaths from excessive alcohol use among males increased by 25,244 (26.8%), from 94,362 deaths during 2016–2017 to 119,606 during 2020–2021 (Table 2). Age-standardized death rates among males increased from 54.8 per 100,000 population during 2016–2017 to 55.9 during 2018–2019, and to 66.9 during 2020–2021.

But the amount of alcohol in one drink may be much higher than those in the list above. For example, some craft beers may have four times the amount of alcohol that’s in a regular beer. Be aware of the alcohol content of what you’re drinking and adjust how much you drink based on this knowledge. It’s not necessary to have all the above symptoms before seeking medical help. A person with alcohol poisoning who has passed out or can’t wake up could die. Over three-quarters of Canadians drink alcohol, so either you drink or know someone who does.

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One potential danger of alcohol overdose is choking on one’s own vomit. Alcohol at very high levels can hinder signals in the brain that control automatic responses, such as the gag reflex. With no gag reflex, a person who drinks to the point of passing out is in danger of choking on their vomit and dying from a lack of oxygen (i.e., asphyxiation). Even if the person survives, an alcohol overdose like this can lead to long-lasting brain damage. This is when a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours.

1. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex.
2. For youth, perhaps the higher risk is due to the elevated rates of heavy and problematic drinking in young adults or that suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds.
3. Even drinking alcohol while taking over-the-counter antihistamines can be dangerous.
4. Increases in deaths from excessive alcohol use during the study period occurred among all age groups.
5. During each period, among all excessive alcohol use cause of death categories, death rates among males were highest from 100% alcohol-attributable chronic conditions.
6. Alcohol poisoning also can occur when adults or children accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol.

Alcohol in the form of ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, is in alcoholic beverages. It’s also in mouthwash, some cooking extracts, some medicines and certain household products. Ethyl alcohol poisoning generally results from drinking too many alcoholic beverages in a short period of time. Alcohol use and taking opioids or sedative hypnotics, such as sleep and anti-anxiety medications, can increase your risk of an overdose.

Examples of these medications include sleep aids, such as zolpidem and eszopiclone, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam. Even drinking alcohol while taking over-the-counter antihistamines can be dangerous. The more you drink, especially in a short period of time, the greater your risk of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol is the most often detected substance in the body of a person who has committed suicide. It may be used to reduce the last instinctive hestitations to taking one’s own life. People with cancer-related depression often use alcohol as a means of coping but they very rarely use it in order to kill themselves through acute intoxication.

But the results of not getting help in time can be far more serious. Alcohol poisoning also can occur when adults or children accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol. People with problematic alcohol use are also a vulnerable population and we owe them a special duty of care; that should also inform public policies. If it means saving a loved one, warning labels on beer cans seem like a pretty low price to pay. There are several neurobiological and psychological theories proposed to explain the relationship between alcohol use and suicide. Alcohol affects neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers such as GABA and serotonin that help regulate mood.

Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. When BAC reaches high levels, blackouts (gaps in memory), loss of consciousness (passing out), and death can occur. An alcohol overdose occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that areas of the brain controlling basic life-support functions—such as breathing, heart rate, and temperature control—begin to shut down.

Public policies should be looking to increase awareness of the link between alcohol and suicide and to assess and treat problematic alcohol use as a way to prevent suicide. The results of our research highlight just how needed these measures are in our society, but prevention requires change at both the individual and systemic level. BAC can continue to rise even when a person stops drinking or is unconscious.

Alcohol poisoning is an emergency

A recent study found that one in eight total deaths among U.S. adults aged 20–64 years during 2015–2019 resulted from excessive alcohol use (9). Because of the increases in these deaths during 2020–2021, including among adults in the same age group, excessive alcohol use could account for an even higher proportion of total deaths during that 2-year period. Beyond current theories regarding the link between suicide and alcohol use, effective prevention requires knowing who is most at risk. Our study found those who drink heavily and more frequently have increased risk of death by suicide, particularly over longer periods of time. Especially vulnerable populations include women, military personnel and youth. We conducted the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the link between alcohol (ab)use and death by suicide to date.

Do not wait for the person to have all the symptoms, and be aware that a person who has passed out can die. Don’t play doctor—cold showers, hot coffee, and walking do not reverse the effects of alcohol overdose and could actually make things worse. Drinking too much and too quickly can lead to significant impairments in motor coordination, decision-making, impulse control, and other functions, increasing the risk of harm. Continuing to drink despite clear signs of significant impairments can result in an alcohol overdose. Even when the person is unconscious or stops drinking, the stomach and intestines continue to release alcohol into the bloodstream, and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Celebrating at parties, cheering a favorite sports team, and enjoying get-togethers after work are common ways to relax or be with friends. For some people, these occasions may also include drinking—even binge or high-intensity drinking. Unlike food, which can take hours to digest, the body absorbs alcohol quickly — long before most other nutrients. If you think that someone has alcohol poisoning, seek medical care right away.

It can be hard to decide if you think someone is drunk enough to need medical help. But it’s best to take action right away rather than be sorry later. You may worry about what will happen to you or a friend or family member, especially if underage.

Alcohol use and death by suicide: A meta-analysis of 33 studies

Military personnel have higher rates of both suicide and alcohol use. Our study indicates these combine to produce a 282 per cent increased risk of death by suicide. There are well-established links between alcohol and cancer, heart disease and violence. Alcohol also undermines mental health, with links to depression and anxiety. However, more investigation is required before making any statements on the link between alcohol and suicide. It is dangerous to assume that an unconscious person will be fine by sleeping it off.

Symptoms of alcohol overdose include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, seizures, trouble breathing, slow heart rate, clammy skin, dulled responses (such as no gag reflex, which prevents choking), and extremely low body temperature. Alcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex. Suicide, heart disease and cancer are consistently among the top 10 causes of death of Canadians, and alcohol increases the risk of all of these killers.