Binge-drinking cases start reaching hosps

Kolkata: The festive week has seen a spurt in patients being rushed to hospitals with alcohol overdose and severe vomiting triggered by overeating. Since Christmas eve, several hospitals have seen a sudden late-night surge in patients staggering in, helped by friends and colleagues from office and house parties. It has continued and hospitals fear a spike in binge-drinking patients on New Year eve. It has led some to keep a team of doctors and attendants ready at the emergency to treat them. Six tipplers were wheeled in and treated at BP Poddar Hospital late on Christmas night. Almost everyone had to be rushed straight to the hospital from parties where they have had a peg too many. Several had overeaten and had to be put on saline after a bout of vomiting. The flow has continued ever since with the hospital receiving three such patients on December 26 and two on December 27, three on Thursday and four on Friday. The number could swell during the weekend which concludes with New Year eve partying, the hospital authorities fear. “We have been receiving patients at our emergency reporting with acute discomfort owing to binge drinking, along with consumption of oily food in a short span of time. Many also had a sudden bout of excitement since they hit the dance floor or partied very late on successive nights without adequate rest. Most are reporting with abdominal pain, dehydration, vomiting, palpitations and irregular heart rate. With regular medical staff who are present 24 X 7 at our emergency, we have deployed a special team of medical staff on January 2 to tackle the situation,” said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group CEO of BP Poddar Hospital.AMRI Hospitals will station two ambulances armed with “full medical set up” at Calcutta Club and Tolly Club on New Year eve. “These will be used if someone suddenly fall ill while partying,” said Rupak Barua of AMRI.A private hospital official said they have been receiving multiple such patients every night since Christmas eve. In many cases, overeating aggravates the condition, said internal medicine consultant Arindam Biswas. “The tendency is to consume a lot of oily snacks like kebabs, fish fingers along with alcohol. It kills your appetite, making you skip dinner. That results in indigestion and hangover. Rather, one should take green salad or sliced fruits if they are available. In case they are not, then limit your alcohol consumption and make sure to have your dinner sans carbohydrates,” added Biswas. Some doctors said proliferation of house parties in last few years has encouraged binge drinking. “This has been the trend since Covid due to convenience and strict enforcement of drink-driving rules. Home parties being more casual, many are going on a drinking spree which could be risky,” said a critical care expert. “Excessive alcohol intake within a short span causes several physiological alterations that may trigger cardiac discomfort,” said SK Nasim, internal medicine consultant at BP Poddar.