ER Visits for Alcohol Intoxication Are Going Up

Visits to the emergency room for alcohol intoxication in the United States have increased by more than 50 percent over the past decade, a new study finds. What's more, ER visits tied to alcohol are taking up an increasing portion of hospital resources, and are requiring longer hospital stays than in the past, the researchers said. There is a need for more attention to efforts to identify and reduce problematic drinking, which could also help to reduce alcohol-related ER visits, they said.