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ALCOHOL PHYSIOLOGY

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

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  1. ALCOHOL PHYSIOLOGY Sources: NHTSA SFST Manual & Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research

  2. Physi-What? Physiology -- the way a particular body or organism works So what does alcohol do to my physiology?

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Alcohol A family of closely-related chemicals whose molecules are made up of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen II-12

  8. Some Types of Alcohol Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol) II-13

  9. Chemical Symbols ETOH CHOH 25 Ethanol Ethyl Alcohol (Intended for human consumption) H H H CCOH H H II-14

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Alcohol is the Most Abused Drug in the United States Alcohol is a CNS Depressant II-17

  13. 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

  14. Distribution of Alcohol Getting the ethanol into the body’s tissues and organs Basic Principle Ethanol goes wherever it findswater II-19

  15. 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

  16. Elimination of Alcohol Getting the ethanol out of the body Direct Excretion Breath, sweat, tears, urine, etc. Metabolism Primarily in theliver II-21

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. QUESTIONS

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