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ALCOHOL PHYSIOLOGY. Sources: NHTSA SFST Manual & Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. Physi-What?. Physiology -- the way a particular body or organism works So what does alcohol do to my physiology?. Measuring Alcohol in the Body.
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ALCOHOL PHYSIOLOGY Sources: NHTSA SFST Manual & Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research
Physi-What? Physiology -- the way a particular body or organism works So what does alcohol do to my physiology?
Measuring Alcohol in the Body • Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) describes the amount of alcohol in a person's blood. • BAC is expressed as the weight of alcohol per unit of volume of blood. • 0.08% is the legal limit for driving while intoxicated in New York State. • BAC can be measured accurately by testing the content in one’s breath.
So What? • Increasing your BAC also increases your risk of being involved in many negative health and safety related issues. • Falls • Assaults • Motor vehicle crashes • Brain and Liver Damage • STD and HIV
How Much is “Too Much?” • Impairment begins with the first drink. • BACs vary from person to person due to factors such as weight and stomach contents. • Individuals can be substantially impaired after two drinks. • The same amount of alcohol will result in different BACs for men and women because alcohol is processed differently by men and women.
Too Much, Too Fast • Binge drinking – five drinks by men; four drinks by women in a short period of time. • High consumption increases the risk of negative consequences. • Binge drinking may cause alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol A family of closely-related chemicals whose molecules are made up of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen II-12
Some Types of Alcohol Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol) II-13
Chemical Symbols ETOH CHOH 25 Ethanol Ethyl Alcohol (Intended for human consumption) H H H CCOH H H II-14
Production of Ethanol Fermentation Yeast combines with sugars from fruit or grains in a chemical reaction that results in ETOH Distillation Fermented beverage is boiled at a controlled temperature to extract and concentrate the ethanol fumes II-15
Standard-Sized Drinks A Can of Beer 12 ounces of fluid @ 4% alcohol equals 0.48 ounces of pure ethanol A Glass of Wine 5 ounces of fluid @ 12% alcohol equals 0.48 ounces of pure ethanol A Shot of Whiskey (80-Proof) 1 and 1/4 ounces @ 40% alcohol equals 0.50 ounces of pure ethanol II-16
Alcohol is the Most Abused Drug in the United States Alcohol is a CNS Depressant II-17
Absorption of Alcohol: Stomach Walls Stomach Walls Getting the ethanol out of the stomach and into the blood 20% Pylorus Stomach Walls 80% II-18
Distribution of Alcohol Getting the ethanol into the body’s tissues and organs Basic Principle Ethanol goes wherever it findswater II-19
Which Parts of the Body have Lots of Water? TheBrain;TheLiver; MuscleTissue Which Parts Don’t? Bones;FattyTissue The average male is 68 percent water The average female is only 55 percent water II-20
Elimination of Alcohol Getting the ethanol out of the body Direct Excretion Breath, sweat, tears, urine, etc. Metabolism Primarily in theliver II-21
Metabolism in the Liver • The liverburnsthe ethanol (i.e., causes a • chemical reaction of ethanol with oxygen). • The process is aided by an enzyme called • alcohol dehydrogenase. • The ultimate products of the chemical reaction are carbon dioxide and water. • Due to metabolism, the average person’s BAC drops by about0.015% per hour. II-22
Blood Alcohol Concentration What does it mean? BAC is the number ofgrams of alcoholfound in 100 millilitersof the person’s blood Example If a person has a BAC of .10%, then there is one-tenth of a gram of alcohol in every 100 milliliters of the person’s blood. II-23