So you’re planning a party for the eve of the new year. It goes without saying that just to get into the drift of things you might need a little drink.
So you’re planning a party for the eve of the new year. It goes without saying that just to get into the drift of things you might need a little drink.
There’s research galore that will support moderate drinking — it’s known to relieve stress, and red wine even has anti-oxidants. But if it’s binge drinking you’re looking forward to on December 31, there’s reason to be careful.
Dr Dwijendra Prasad, consultant internal medicine, BGS Global Hospitals, says that excessive and quick consumption of alcohol can be termed ‘alcohol poisoning’.
There are even some standards for the quantity of drink consumed that are observed in the West. In the US, for instance, four drinks for women, and five or more standard drinks (60 ml each) for men, taken within two hours, is considered binge drinking. And if the blood alcohol level is over 0.08%, the drinker is dangerously intoxicated.
A binge drinker is at risk of a sudden fall in glucose levels, leading to blackouts, alongside seizures and a spell of amnesia.
There is also the likelihood of brain haemorrhage and stroke. In an extreme case, sudden death could occur because of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat).
Binge drinking is known to cause oesophageal rupture, gastritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, and severe dehydration. Even a rupture of the urinary bladder could be caused by large quantities of alcohol consumed in a short time.
Aspiration pneumonia or inability to move on account of transient motor paralysis could also happen.
Impaired brain function could leave the binger disoriented, and violence or sexual promiscuity could result, if the drinker is conscious. Road accidents too are often the result of irresponsible drink driving.
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