Researchers find method to rapidly clear alcohol from lungs by breathing

A new study of what the team describes can be "a game-changer in rescue therapy for severe alcohol intoxication," has shown the way to accelerate clearance of alcohol from the blood.

In the study by University Health Network (UHN) in Canada, the researchers attempted to breathe out alcohol from the lungs.

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"The harder the breathing, it was reasoned, the more alcohol is eliminated. The team found that indeed, hyperventilation eliminated the alcohol at least three times faster than through the liver alone," a press release of UHN said.

"But you can't just hyperventilate, because in a minute or two you would become light-headed and pass out, said Dr. Joseph Fisher, anesthesiologist and Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, who led the study.

However, hyperventilating removes carbon dioxide along with blood, which can cause symptoms such as light-headedness, and fainting, among others.

The researchers used a device that allows the patient to hyperventilate off the alcohol while adding the amount of carbon dioxide required by the body at the blood levels.

The device is the size of a small briefcase and comprises a valve system, some connecting tubes, a mask, and a small tank with compressed carbon dioxide.