Charlie Sheen Hospitalized After Night of Partying: Here's What To Do in a Party Emergency, Miami

News is breaking at celebrity sites like TMZ.com that Charlie Sheen was rushed to the hospital today after a fun night of partying at his home.

According to TMZ, the neighbors heard voices at Sheen's home singing Red Hot Chili Peppers songs into the wee hours of the morning. Although with Charlie Sheen's reputation, the news reports didn't really need to include this information in order for us to believe that there was a party last night, right?

Latest reports as of this posting are that Charlie Sheen is under a doctor's care in Los Angeles' prestigious Cedars-Sinai and that his parents are with him. Emergency calls (911) apparently were placed early this morning, and Mr. Sheen was taken by ambulance to the emergency room, reportedly suffering from intense abdominal pain. (Again, this info is from the celebrity sites like TMZ.)

We're fans of Charlie Sheen and his TV show, Two and a Half Men, and hope that he gets well soon -- and that he gets help here. All these highly-publicized antics are getting a little too John Belushi-esque for comfort here.

Now, Miami, what can we take from this?

Miami has been voted "Best Party Town in the US" and we're happy that so many visitors come to South Florida for fun in the sun. This is a beautiful place to live; Miami Beach is proud to be a gracious host to fun folk.

However, we all know that there can be too much fun - there are physical dangers that accompany drinking alcohol and taking drugs, legal or street. So, what are signs that your boyfriend, girlfriend, or just someone there at the party with you is in trouble, and what should you do about it? In other words, what if someone gets ill -- like Charlie Sheen apparently did -- at your party?

Signs That Someone Drank Way Too Much: Alcohol Poisoning

Drinking too much alcohol too fast, no matter what form - beer, wine, whiskey, mixed drinks - means that your body does not have time to absorb it and the alcohol acts like a poison. This can result in seizures, stroke, heart attack, or death.

Look for the following symptoms of alcohol poisoning:

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or person cannot be roused.
• Vomiting.
• Seizures.
• Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute).
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths).
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness.

If you think your friend is in trouble from being too drunk, then look for these signs. They don't all need to be there, remember. Be safe rather than sorry, and call 911 for help.

And don't let them pass out -- sleeping it off is a bad idea, the alcohol will keep impacting their system while they are unconscious and their gag reflex may be inhibited.

For more details, go here.

Signs Someone Has Taken Too Much of a Drug (Overdose)

Because of the wide number of drugs that pop up at parties, from street drugs like heroin or crystal meth to prescription drugs like oxycodone, it's impossible to have a short list of symptoms that cover all the bases here. Heck, even over the counter medicines like codeine cough syrup can be popular at Miami Beach parties if you have a Sizzurp recipe.

The best action to take if you suspect a friend has taken too much of a drug (or is having a bad physical reaction in a drug-and-alcohol combination) is to call 911. However, if you are hesitant to do so immediately, then consider contacting the closest Poison Control Center and asking them for help.

There is a national toll-free number where someone is ready to help 24/7:               1-800-222-1222

Calls to the Poison Control Center are free and confidential. They can put you together with someone who speaks your language - Spanish, Portugese, French, German, whatever - if you cannot speak English.

By Bryant Esquenazi on January 27, 2011 3:04 PM