Honestly, how is this possible?

[just saw the light]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/01/04/drunk-bulgarian-050104.html

"SOFIA, BULGARIA - Bulgarian doctors tested a man's blood-alcohol level five times before accepting it was 0.914 – nearly twice the amount considered to be life-threatening."

"The man, who has not been identified, was reported to be in stable condition after being treated for head injuries."


Am I wrong or does that mean his blood was composed of 91.4% alcohol?

[Jesse]

According to this page (http://www.silcom.com/~sbadp/effects/bac.htm): Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. It is measured in percentages. For instance, having a BAC of 0.10 percent means that a person has 1 part alcohol per 1,000 parts blood in the body. So presumably a BAC of 0.914 means 0.914%, not 91.4%. That's still amazingly high, according to this page (http://www.factsontap.org/yourbody/BALandU.htm) listing effects of different levels: BAL .20%: You feel confused, dazed, or otherwise disoriented. You need help to stand up or walk. If you hurt yourself at this point, you probably won't realize it because you won't feel pain. If you are aware You've injured yourself, chances are you won't do anything about it. At this point you may experience nausea and/or start vomiting (keep in mind that for some people, a lower blood alcohol level than .20% may cause vomiting). Your gag reflex is impaired, so you could choke if you do throw up. Since blackouts are likely at this level, you may not remember any of this.

BAL .25%: All mental, physical, and sensory functions are severely impaired. You're emotionally numb. There's an increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falling or other accidents.

BAL .30%: You're in a stupor. You have little comprehension of where you are. You may suddenly pass out at this point and be difficult to awaken. (But don't kid yourself: Passing out can also occur at lower BALs. But, at lower blood alcohol levels, you may decide You've had enough to drink and go "pass out."* With an alarming BAL like .30%, your body will be deciding to pass out for you.) In February 1996, an 18-year-old student died of alcohol poisoning with a BAL of .31% after attending two parties the night before.

BAL .35%: This blood alcohol level also happens to be the level of surgical anesthesia. You may stop breathing at this point. In February 1996, a second student, age 20, died of alcohol poisoning with a BAL of .34% after drinking six beers and twelve shots in two hours.

BAL .40%: You are probably in a coma. The nerve centers controlling your heartbeat and respiration are slowing down, s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n, s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n. it's a miracle if you're not dead. In April 1994, a 21-year-old student died of alcohol poisoning with a BAL of .40% after a Hell Night party.

[just saw the light]

Ahh that clears up the 91 percent thing which I found unbelievable but still, I find to this be pretty amazing. That guy must've had one Helluva hangover.

[travc]

He is certainly a medical marvel. It would be cool to figure out what is different about his physiology that makes it so that this level isn't just leathal to him.

Of course, it should not be at all surprising that out of the billions of people currently living on the Earth, a few odd cases sprout up.

[Matt the Medic]

Tolerance can play a role in the effects of alcohol. Granted, it usually isn't even considered compared to drugs such as narcotics, where daily use builds up pretty quickly. Depending on how heavy a drinker he was and how often (and many other factors) I wouldn't doubt that such statistical anomalies exist. Wasn't there a girl in her twenties that died from alcohol poisoning from 1 glass of champagne at a friend's wedding? I recall hearing about that somewhere.

[Dark Knight Bob]

The guy probably dies soon of something else that us normal folk are completely tolerant to, like air or someting :D

[mirage]

Susceptibility to the effects of alcohol at a given blood level is very variable. Individuals show a broad range of tolerance for acute intoxication, and chronic alcoholics can develop extraordinary tolerance.

Death generally occurs because of the much prized neurological inhibition in acute poisoning. The neurological mechanism is very complex with either alcohol, its metabolites and complexes formed with neurotransmitters affecting several receptor groups. Presumably there is genetic variation here quite apart from the well described variation in alcohol metabolism.

Although around 0.4 - 0.5 grams/100ml (roughly "percent") is commonly quoted as lethal from respiratory arrest (keep going and your ticker packs up too!) this is usually for acute toxicity. (The examples given above were all students, note.)

There have been case studies published of survival up to about 1.5 with proper professional alcoholics. The driving limit here in the UK is 0.08 and many countries have lower limits.

[g-21-lto]

He is certainly a medical marvel. It would be cool to figure out what is different about his physiology that makes it so that this level isn't just leathal to him.

Of course, it should not be at all surprising that out of the billions of people currently living on the Earth, a few odd cases sprout up.
Just think: if we all drank as much as he did, those who didn't have the trait would be killed off and we would evolve into a race with superhuman alcohol tolerances! :D Just gotta kill off a few billion first.

Tolerance can play a role in the effects of alcohol. Granted, it usually isn't even considered compared to drugs such as narcotics, where daily use builds up pretty quickly. Depending on how heavy a drinker he was and how often (and many other factors) I wouldn't doubt that such statistical anomalies exist. Wasn't there a girl in her twenties that died from alcohol poisoning from 1 glass of champagne at a friend's wedding? I recall hearing about that somewhere.
Did she get alcohol poisoning, or is it possible that she was allergic to alcohol? I know a few people who are allergic. (They're both college students too, which really sucks for them.)

What exactly are the physiological effects of alcohol poisoning, anyhow? I've never been quite clear.

[David Z]

Just think: if we all drank as much as he did, those who didn't have the trait would be killed off and we would evolve into a race with superhuman alcohol tolerances! :D Just gotta kill off a few billion first.Yes! Then when we encounter alien races out among the stars, we maneuver them into a drinking contest for control of the Milky Way!
:rolling:

The guy in the article wasn't even in the hospital because of the alcohol... he got hit by a car. One tough SOB!