Alcohol consumption linked to severe medical emergencies in Vietnam

Medical professionals in Vietnam are warning of severe health complications resulting from excessive alcohol consumption. At Military Hospital 121, a 47-year-old man was treated for life-threatening acute pancreatitis after his blood lipid levels spiked 149 times above normal following heavy drinking. The patient, who has a history of type 2 diabetes and hypertension, required plasma exchange to stabilize his condition.

Separately, doctors at Xanh Pôn General Hospital in Hanoi reported cases of acute respiratory failure caused by alcohol-induced loss of consciousness. When individuals consume high levels of alcohol, suppressed reflexes can lead to vomiting and the aspiration of food or gastric contents into the lungs. One patient presented with severe hypoxia and pneumonia due to aspiration after heavy drinking. Medical experts advise that intoxicated individuals should be placed in a side-lying position to prevent airway obstruction and that emergency services should be contacted immediately if a person becomes unresponsive or exhibits irregular breathing.