For many people, the term binge drinking conjures up visions of wild frat parties filled with poor youthful decisions. But if you look at what age group is most at risk from alcohol poisoning, the majority of deaths are actually happening to middle aged people between 45 and 54 – a staggering 34% of total alcohol poisoning deaths.
In the US there are about 2,200 alcohol poisoning deaths each year, or about 6 per day, according to a recent study by the CDC. Of those, 3 in 4 are between the ages of 35 and 64. Most of those deaths are men; a sizable 76%.
Extreme levels of alcohol in the body causes the shutdown of critical areas of the brain that control breathing, body temperature and heart rate. The CDC recommends a number of community and state based approaches to reduce alcohol poisoning deaths on their site.
Written by Benjamin Starr of VisualNews