A 22‑year‑old Chinese man, trying to fend off the oppressive heat, downed approximately 1.5 L of Coca‑Cola in just ten minutes. Within hours he was whisked to Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, clutching his abdomen as it swelled painfully.
Sudden Deterioration
Upon examination, clinicians noted a tachycardic pulse, shallow breathing, and dangerously low arterial pressure. Blood work revealed ischemic hepatitis – commonly referred to as shock liver, a condition triggered by inadequate blood flow and oxygen to hepatic tissue.
The team attributed the hepatic insult to a rapid influx of carbon dioxide gas from the soda, which likely entered a major hepatic vessel and impaired circulation.
Aggressive Intervention
Immediate supportive therapy was launched to stem further liver injury. A repeat imaging study twelve hours later demonstrated extensive hepatic necrosis despite intensive care.
"The speed and volume of the carbonation overwhelmed the liver’s blood supply, leading to irreversible damage," said the attending physician.
Tragically, the patient succumbed roughly 18 hours after admission. He had been healthy before the incident, highlighting the potentially fatal danger of excessive carbonated‑drink consumption in a brief timeframe.
