Alcohol causes poisoning directly on the heart

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ngo Dac Thanh Huy - Cardiologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine, Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

Alcohol (also known as Ethanol) is a central nervous system depressant that, if taken in large amounts quickly, can cause respiratory failure, coma and death. If drinking continuously for a long time, alcohol causes direct poisoning to the heart, liver and other organs.

1. Overview of alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is usually caused by drinking too much alcohol, a few by suicide with alcohol or alcohol products. However, it is necessary to distinguish the following forms of alcohol poisoning:
Ethanol poisoning l: a condition in which the concentration of Ethanol increases gradually in the blood, causing central nervous system depression. Methanol and Ethylene Glycol alcohol poisoning: poisoning caused by drinking alcohol mixed with industrial alcohol. Emergency hospital admissions are often caused by patients drinking too much, abusing alcohol to the point of complications such as: hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, heart failure due to alcohol poisoning ...

2. The process of alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning causes many mental disorders and effects on different organs. Specifically, it progresses in 3 stages such as:
Stage of stimulation: the patient will have a nervous reaction of excitement (excited, happy, talkative), reduced self-control (stimulation, aggression, etc.) ataxia), impaired coordination of movements (walking, leaning, stumbling). Inhibitory phase: gradually decreased consciousness, decreased concentration ability, confusion, decreased tendon reflexes, decreased muscle tone, peripheral vasodilation. Coma phase: the patient has severe complications such as: weak breathing, aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure, vasodilation, hypotension, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, convulsions, electrolyte disturbances, metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis ... leading to coma or respiratory arrest. The process of alcohol intoxication is also shown by increasing serum Ethanol concentration in the blood:
20-50mg/dL: inhibitory disorder, unstable emotions, abnormal mania, talkative talk. 50-100mg/dL: slow reflexes, impaired judgment, dysarthria, mild motor incoordination. 100-200mg/dL: diplopia, disorientation, confusion, insensitivity, vasodilation. 200-400mg/dL: respiratory depression, loss of airway reflexes, hypothermia, incontinence, hypotension, coma. > 400mg/dL: heart failure due to alcohol poisoning, death. Thus, if you abuse alcohol and let the blood level of Ethanol increase too much, alcohol directly poisons the heart and causes heart failure, making the patient face the highest risk of death.

3. Harm of alcohol abuse

Heavy drinking for a long time can easily lead to liver damage such as fatty liver, cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis. Patients with liver damage are also prone to coagulopathy due to reduced ability to synthesize clotting factors, increasing the risk of bleeding during trauma (eg, fall, impact, car accident...) and gastrointestinal bleeding (due to gastritis, ruptured esophageal veins ...)
Alcohol abuse often causes the following consequences and complications:
Pancreatitis, gastritis. Heart failure due to alcohol poisoning. Cardiomyopathy, often accompanied by arrhythmias and hypertension. Peripheral neuropathy. Brain lesions include: Korsakoff psychosis, Wernicke encephalopathy, Marchiafava-Bignami disease, and memory impairment. Some forms of cancer (eg, head and neck, esophagus), especially when alcohol consumption is combined with smoking. In the long run, the patient may suffer from malnutrition and vitamin deficiency.

4. Measures to treat alcohol poisoning directly to the heart

For severe poisoning, treatment focuses on the following goals:
Fluids, vasopressors if blood pressure drops. Infusion of Glucose, electrolyte water to supplement nutrition. Intramuscular vitamin B1 with 100-300mg (adults) or 50mg (children) before glucose infusion. Inject antiemetic drugs, reduce gastric secretion, give the patient medicine to cover the stomach lining to reduce vomiting. Support the patient to breathe by suctioning sputum, intubation, oxygen, mechanical ventilation with hyperventilation mode... to increase the elimination of Ethanol. Maintain body temperature and keep the patient warm.

5. Prevention of complications from alcohol

To prevent heart attack and other complications from alcohol, the patient should consider the following methods:
It is best not to drink alcohol if the dose cannot be controlled. If drinking, only drink at the right time (after work, less travel) and can rest when needed. Drink less to limit side effects. Stop drinking when you are still awake enough, control the ability to speak, walk steadily. Do not drink more than 50ml of 40-degree alcohol or no more than 400ml of 5-degree beer. Should eat well before, during and after drinking to reduce stomach damage. Certain subjects should absolutely not drink alcohol: children, adolescents, pregnant women, lactating women, people who often have to do highly concentrated work such as driving, operating machinery, etc. people who have recently quit drinking, are taking medication or are sick. Keep the body warm, avoid letting the body brake, cold after drinking alcohol. Choose wines, beers, foods from safe sources and ingredients. In general, if alcohol abuse causes poisoning directly on the heart and causes severe damage to other organs. Patients should consider and limit alcohol consumption. If possible, take some measures to stop drinking under the guidance and advice of your doctor.
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