A 22‑year‑old man in China tried to beat the heat by downing roughly 1.5 liters of Coca‑Cola in just ten minutes. Within a few hours he was rushed to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, clutching his stomach as severe pain and a bulging abdomen set in.
Rapid Decline
Upon arrival, clinicians noted a tachycardic pulse, shallow breathing, and dangerously low blood pressure. Blood work revealed ischemic hepatitis – commonly known as shock liver, a life‑threatening condition caused by an abrupt loss of blood flow and oxygen to the liver.
The team traced the hepatic injury to a sudden surge of carbon dioxide from the carbonated drink, which likely entered a major vessel feeding the liver and disrupted its circulation.
Intensive Efforts to Save Him
Emergency physicians launched aggressive supportive therapy to halt further liver damage. A follow‑up imaging study twelve hours after admission showed extensive necrosis of liver tissue despite the intensive measures.
Unable to recover, the young man succumbed roughly 18 hours after he was admitted. The case underscores that he was otherwise healthy before the incident, highlighting the potentially fatal risks of consuming an extreme volume of carbonated beverages in a short span.
