Alcohol intoxication (also known as drunkenness or inebriation) refers to the physiological state induced by the consumption of alcohol, when it builds up in the bloodstream faster than it can be metabolized by the liver. Some effects of alcohol intoxication are central to alcohol's desirability as a beverage and its history as the world's most widespread recreational drug. Common effects are euphoria and lowered social inhibitions. Other effects are unpleasant or dangerous because alcohol affects many different areas of the body at once and may cause progressive, long-term harm when consumed in excess.
Common symptoms of alcohol intoxication include slurred speech, euphoria, impaired balance, loss of muscle coordination (ataxia), flushed face, dehydration, vomiting, reddened eyes, reduced inhibitions, and erratic behavior. Sufficiently high levels of blood-borne alcohol will cause coma and death from the depressive effects of alcohol upon the central nervous system. "Acute alcohol poisoning" is a related medical term used to indicate a dangerously high concentration of alcohol in the blood, high enough to induce coma or respiratory depression. It is considered a medical emergency. The term is mostly used by health care providers. Toxicologists use the term “alcohol intoxication” to discriminate between alcohol and other toxins.
Read more about Alcohol Intoxication: Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Diagnosis, Epidemiology
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