Alcohol Poisoning Kills 6 Americans Every Day, CDC Says
Alcohol Poisoning Kills 6 Americans Every Day, CDC Says
Older adults hardest hit by binge-drinking deaths, and long-term effects of alcoholism often play a role
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A new report finds that six people die in the United States each day after consuming far too much alcohol in too short a time -- a condition known as alcohol poisoning.
"Alcohol poisoning deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of excessive alcohol use, which is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.," Ileana Arias, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an agency news release.
According to the new CDC Vital Signs report, alcohol poisoning kills more than 2,200 Americans a year. Adults aged 35 to 64 account for 75 percent of these deaths, and white males are most often the victims.
Alcohol poisoning death rates vary widely across states, ranging from 5.3 per million people in Alabama to 46.5 deaths per million people in Alaska. The states with the highest alcohol poisoning death rates are in the Great Plains, western United States and New England, the CDC said.
According to the agency, consuming very high levels of alcohol can cause areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate and body temperature to shut down, resulting in death.
Alcohol poisoning can occur when people binge drink, defined as having more than five drinks in one sitting for men and more than four in one sitting for women. According to the CDC, more than 38 million American adults say they binge drink an average of four times per month and have an average of eight drinks per binge.
"We need to implement effective programs and policies to prevent binge drinking and the many health and social harms that are related to it, including deaths from alcohol poisoning," Arias said in the news release.
Alcoholism is a key risk factor in alcohol poisoning deaths. The new report -- based on national data from 2010-2012 -- found that alcoholism was a contributing factor in 30 percent of such deaths, and that other drugs were a factor in about 3 percent of the deaths.
Alcohol Poisoning Kills 6 Americans Every Day: CDC
Older adults hardest hit by binge-drinking deaths, and long-term effects of alcoholism often play a role
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A new report finds that six people die in the United States each day after consuming far too much alcohol in too short a time -- a condition known as alcohol poisoning.
"Alcohol poisoning deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of excessive alcohol use, which is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.," Ileana Arias, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an agency news release.
According to the new CDC Vital Signs report, alcohol poisoning kills more than 2,200 Americans a year. Adults aged 35 to 64 account for 75 percent of these deaths, and white males are most often the victims.
Alcohol poisoning death rates vary widely across states, ranging from 5.3 per million people in Alabama to 46.5 deaths per million people in Alaska. The states with the highest alcohol poisoning death rates are in the Great Plains, western United States and New England, the CDC said.
According to the agency, consuming very high levels of alcohol can cause areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate and body temperature to shut down, resulting in death.
Alcohol poisoning can occur when people binge drink, defined as having more than five drinks in one sitting for men and more than four in one sitting for women. According to the CDC, more than 38 million American adults say they binge drink an average of four times per month and have an average of eight drinks per binge.
"We need to implement effective programs and policies to prevent binge drinking and the many health and social harms that are related to it, including deaths from alcohol poisoning," Arias said in the news release.
Alcoholism is a key risk factor in alcohol poisoning deaths. The new report -- based on national data from 2010-2012 -- found that alcoholism was a contributing factor in 30 percent of such deaths, and that other drugs were a factor in about 3 percent of the deaths.
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