Canadian scientists say they’ve found a new way to treat potentially life-threatening alcohol intoxication.
Gizmodo reports a new device allows people to hyperventilate safely, and thus literally breathe the alcohol out of their system.
In a small pilot study using healthy volunteers, the device was found to speed up the clearance of alcohol from three times faster than the body would normally do.
The patient is outfitted with a gas mask, which connects to a supply of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The mixture of gases causes hyperventilation.
The device then feeds the user back enough carbon dioxide that the body doesn’t involuntarily trigger fainting.