Binge drinking causes an average of six deaths per day

By: The VNN Team  //  Health & Science

by Carol Thompson

A new report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that an average of six people per day die from alcohol poisoning.

Surprisingly, the report states that those succumbing to alcohol poisoning are not college students, nor the young, but those aged 35 to 64. Nearly 76 percent of all deaths from binge drinking fall into that age group and 76 percent are men.

“On average, six people died every day from alcohol poisoning in the US from 2010 to 2012. Alcohol poisoning is caused by drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time. Very high levels of alcohol in the body can shutdown critical areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and body temperature, resulting in death. Alcohol poisoning deaths affect people of all ages but are most common among middle-aged adults and men,” according to the CDC.

Alcohol poisoning deaths according to the report:

• Most people who die are 35-64 years old.
• Most people who die are men.
• Most alcohol poisoning deaths are among non- Hispanic whites. Although a smaller share of the US population, American Indians/Alaska Natives have the most alcohol poisoning deaths per million people of any of the races.
• Alaska has the most alcohol poisoning deaths per million people, while Alabama has the least.
• Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) was identified as a factor in 30% of alcohol poisoning deaths

Binge drinking can lead to death from alcohol poisoning:

• Binge drinking (4 or more drinks for women or 5 or more drinks for men in a short period of time) typically leads to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that exceeds 0.08 g/dL, the legal limit for driving in all states.
• US adults who binge drink consume an average of about 8 drinks per binge, which can result in even higher levels of alcohol in the body.
• The more you drink the greater your risk of death.

The states with the highest number of deaths from alcohol poisoning include Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Oregon and Oklahoma.

The states with the least number of deaths related to alcohol poisoning include Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Illinois, Wisconsin and Idaho.

According to the CDC report, the standard drink is the US contains five percent alcohol for beer, seven percent alcohol for malt liquor, 12 percent alcohol for wine and 40 percent alcohol for distilled spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin and rum.

The life-threatening signs of alcohol poisoning include the inability to wake up, vomiting, slow breathing, irregular breathing, seizures and hypothermia.

Binge drinking is defined as drinking enough to bring the blood alcohol level to 0.08 percent, which puts drivers past the limit in all 50 states.