News for Healthier Living

Alcohol-Intoxicated Severely Injured Patients Are More Likely to Be Misdiagnosed and Receive Less Treatment Before Hospital Arrival

Emergency medical clinicians are more likely to misdiagnose severely injured patients with a positive blood alcohol level and provide fewer treatments before hospital arrival, according to a German study. Physical trauma is the leading cause of death in young adults. About one in four patients with multiple trauma is alcohol-intoxicated at the time of injury, typically suffering from a fall or a traffic accident. The medical assessment of severely injured people on the scene and en route to the hospital is a crucial and challenging step, determining life-saving measures, time-critical interventions, transport decisions, and hospital destinations. This assessment is more difficult in patients who have used alcohol, which affects physiological, neurological, and cognitive processes and behavior. Little is known about the pre-hospital treatment of polytrauma patients who have used alcohol, which investigators explored for the study in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research.

January 23, 2026


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