While some of this is tied to individual differences, drinking habits can be a big contributing factor as well. One of the biggest causes of a blackout from drinking is consuming too much too fast. When you drink alcohol rapidly, your liver cannot keep up and metabolize the alcohol fast enough. This causes blood alcohol concentration levels to rise quickly until you reach the point of an alcohol blackout.
Drinking alcohol without food gets you intoxicated much faster and increases your risk of blacking out. If you are more sensitive to alcohol than the average person, it may not take as much to cause you to experience an alcohol blackout. Body mass index BMI refers to the amount of body fat someone has based on their height and weight. A large amount of blood flows through muscle tissue, but much less blood flows through fat.
Many people can avoid blacking out by having only one or two drinks an hour and consuming water in between each drink.
Knowing the signs and symptoms can also help decrease the risk of a blackout. If you notice that you have trouble keeping up with a conversation or recalling things, you should attempt to sober up to prevent blacking out.
Experiencing blackouts is common among people who abuse or are addicted to alcohol. Seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder is the best way to prevent blackouts and other potentially harmful consequences. Formal treatment is often the most successful option for people struggling with alcohol addiction. This may include a medically supervised detox program to withdraw from alcohol as well as inpatient treatment. Inpatient treatment offers round-the-clock support as well as intensive programs of recovery.
To learn more about what happens when you blackout from alcohol, contact a treatment specialist today. This page does not provide medical advice. Get Help Now What Is An Alcohol Blackout? Due to this, it is really important to get someone emergency help if their condition is deteriorating. In cases where someone who has drunk too much needs first aid, people should :. The American Heart Association AHA describe a syncope blackout as a short temporary loss of consciousness that happens when not enough blood reaches the brain.
People may also refer to this type of blackout as fainting. Low blood pressure typically causes syncope blackouts because the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the brain. A neurally mediated syncope is usually benign and requires no further treatment.
This type of syncope tends to occur more in children and young adults. A cardiac syncope is more serious as it could signal an underlying problem with the heart. Tachycardia, bradycardia, or other types of hypotension could cause a cardiac syncope. If a person does not get treatment, they are at risk of complications or even sudden cardiac death. A doctor may prescribe fludrocortisone to reduce blackouts in people who experience neurally mediated syncope.
If anyone feels as though they are about to faint, they should sit or lie down so that they do not injure themselves if they fall unconscious. If a person is experiencing syncope blackouts, a doctor may request an electrocardiogram EKG to see whether there are any underlying problems with the heart. They may also order a tilt test. During this test, a person lies down on a board that moves to change their position while healthcare professionals measure their blood pressure and heart rate.
A disturbance of neuronal activity in the brain can cause an epileptic episode. During these episodes, people may experience a seizure. Their muscles may contract, and they could lose consciousness. However, just because a person has epilepsy, it does not necessarily mean that they will blackout when they have a seizure.
The disorder is a spectrum, and it covers many other symptoms. Many different symptoms could accompany epileptic blackouts, depending on the type of seizure that a person is experiencing. According to the University of California, San Francisco , one particular type of epileptic seizure that causes blackouts is a tonic-clonic seizure — also known as a grand-mal seizure.
You may have blood tests for anaemia and diabetes. Further tests of your heart and nervous system may be necessary. Give yourself a check-up with a general blood profile, now available in Patient Access.
The most common cause of blacking out is fainting. Other causes include epileptic seizures , syncope due to anxiety psychogenic pseudosyncope and other rare causes of faints. Other causes of blacking out may be due to low blood sugar hypoglycaemia and lack of oxygen hypoxia from a variety of causes.
It may be due to over-breathing hyperventilation but this is rare. You may also black out after a fall or blow to the head or due to excess alcohol or street drugs. Strokes and mini strokes transient ischaemic attacks can also result in a blackout. Prolonged blackout, confusion after the event, incomplete recovery and tongue biting all suggest that the cause is not a simple faint. Treatment will depend on the likely cause of your blackout. You may be asked to keep a diary of your faints, including what you were doing when each happened.
Most people will only need to see their GP but you may be referred for further investigation and treatment at a hospital. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA does not have to be informed of a simple faint but greater restrictions apply if the situation is more complicated or if diagnosis is less clear. If the attack happens again or you do not feel completely back to normal, you should also seek urgent medical attention.
In all other cases, you should see your GP. If you have lots of attacks, or you hurt yourself because of the faints, your GP may want you to see a specialist. They may also want you to see a specialist if your faints could affect your driving.
You will need to find the underlying cause and try to address it if possible. Common faints are by far the most common cause. Many people who faint know when it tends to happen and how to avoid attacks. Outlook prognosis depends on the underlying cause but is generally very good.
In young people, when the blackouts are not associated with any heart or nervous system problem, there is nothing to worry about.
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