Editing Alcohol intoxication (section)

==Diagnosis==
{{See also|Blood alcohol content}}

Alcohol intoxication is described as a [[mental disorder|mental]] and [[Abnormal behaviour|behavioural]] [[Disorder (medicine)|disorder]] by the [[International Classification of Diseases]]. ([[ICD-10]]).<ref>Drs; {{cite web |last1=Sartorius |first1=Norman |author-link=Norman Sartorius |last2=Henderson |first2=A.S. |last3=Strotzka |first3=H. |last4=Lipowski |first4=Z. |last5=Yu-cun |first5=Shen |last6=You-xin |first6=Xu |last7=Strömgren |first7=E. |last8=Glatzel |first8=J. |last9=Kühne |first9=G.-E. |title=The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines |url=https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/bluebook.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041017011412/http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/bluebook.pdf |archive-date=17 October 2004 |url-status=live |access-date=23 June 2021 |publisher= [[World Health Organization]] |page=65 |last10=Misès |first10=R. |last11=Soldatos |first11=C.R. |last12=Pull |first12=C.B. |last13=Giel |first13=R. |last14=Jegede |first14=R. |last15=Malt |first15=U. |last16=Nadzharov |first16=R.A. |last17=Smulevitch |first17=A.B. |last18=Hagberg |first18=B. |last19=Perris |first19=C. |last20=Scharfetter |first20=C. |last21=Clare |first21=A. |last22=Cooper |first22=J.E. |last23=Corbett |first23=J.A. |last24=Griffith Edwards |first24=J. |last25=Gelder |first25=M. |last26=Goldberg |first26=D. |last27=Gossop |first27=M. |last28=Graham |first28=P. |last29=Kendell |first29=R.E. |last30=Marks |first30=I. |last31=Russell |first31=G. |last32=Rutter |first32=M. |last33=Shepherd |first33=M. |last34=West |first34=D.J. |last35=Wing |first35=J. |last36=Wing |first36=L. |last37=Neki |first37=J.S. |last38=Benson |first38=F. |last39=Cantwell |first39=D. |last40=Guze |first40=S. |last41=Helzer |first41=J. |last42=Holzman |first42=P. |last43=Kleinman |first43=A. |last44=Kupfer |first44=D.J. |last45=Mezzich |first45=J. |last46=Spitzer |first46=R. |last47=Lokar |first47=J. |agency=bluebook.doc}}</ref> Definitive [[Medical diagnosis|diagnosis]] relies on a blood test for alcohol, usually performed as part of a [[toxicology]] screen. [[Law enforcement officer]]s in the United States and other countries often use [[breathalyzer]] units and [[field sobriety test]]s as more convenient and rapid alternatives to blood tests.<ref>{{cite web |title=Random breath testing – Data by country |url=http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.54620 |access-date=25 June 2018 |publisher=World Health Organization}}</ref> There are also various models of breathalyzer units that are available for consumer use. Because these may have varying reliability and may produce different results than the tests used for law-enforcement purposes, the results from such devices should be conservatively interpreted.

Many informal intoxication tests exist, which, in general, are unreliable and not recommended as deterrents to excessive intoxication or as indicators of the safety of activities such as motor vehicle driving, heavy equipment operation, machine tool use, etc.

For determining whether someone is intoxicated by alcohol by some means other than a blood-alcohol test, it is necessary to rule out other conditions such as [[hypoglycemia]], stroke, usage of other intoxicants, mental health issues, and so on. It is best if their behavior has been observed while the subject is sober to establish a baseline. Several well-known criteria can be used to establish a probable diagnosis. For a physician in the acute-treatment setting, acute alcohol intoxication can mimic other acute neurological disorders or is frequently combined with other [[recreational drug]]s that complicate diagnosis and treatment.