Responsible Use of Alcohol

1. Responsible Use of Alcohol

3. Blood-Brain Barrier • Large molecules do not pass through the BBB easily. • Low lipid (fat) soluble molecules do not penetrate into the brain. However, lipid soluble molecules, such as barbituate drugs, alcohol rapidly cross through into the brain. • Molecules that have a high electrical charge are slowed.

4. What is alcohol? • It is made from sugar. • Produced by anaerobic fermentation. • Alcohol is among the first things mankind made: • Bread and alcohol both come from grain! • It can: • Enhance social activities. • Lead to problems with behavior or physiology.

5. Fermentation breaks down sugars into alcohol. • Requires no oxygen. • Bacteria, mold, yeast. • There are different kinds of alcohol: • Ethyl alcohol (found in drinks) • Methanol (wood alcohol) • Isopropyl (rubbing alcohol)

6. Distillation • This is the process of making hard liquors from grains. • Alcohol evaporates with vapor. • Think of Grandma’s still in the backyard. • This produces very potent alcohol.

7. Nature of Alcohol Alcoholic beverages contain ETHYL ALCOHOL ( psychoactive ingredient) • Beer- 3-6% alcohol • Wine- 9-14 % • Hard Liquor (vodka, gin tequila) 35-50%

8. What is a “drink”? • A set amount of alcohol found in: • One 12oz. beer. • One 5oz. glass of table wine. • One 1.5oz of 80 proof liquor. • This refers to the amount of alcohol, not how “big” your drink is.

9. What do we mean by PROOF? • PROOF VALUE is the concentration of alcohol. It is calculated as 2X the concentration of alcohol. • Example 100 proof means there is 50% alcohol solution.

10. What Kind of Drug???? At Low BACs (.03-.05)- Alcohol at low levels acts as a stimulant. You feel; relaxation, jovial, and there is a release of inhibitions (Alcohol depresses inhibitory centers of the brain) ITS REALLY A DEPRESSANT!! Higher BACs ( Above .05 -.1)- Alcohol shows its true nature as a depressant. Impaired Motor Coordination, Sleepiness, Easily Angered. Cognitive Function Impaired. Senses Impaired.

11. Blood Alcohol Content BAC % Effects 0.03 – 0.05 First feel alcohol Relaxed, lowered inhibitions. 0.1 Increased irritability/sleepiness. Decreased motor function. 0.2 Unable to function (CNS) 0.3 Coma – leading towards death. 0.35 Death possible.

12. Alcohol Affects Your Brain • Cerebrum (Thinking) • Cerebellum(Voluntary Motor Skills) • Medulla(Involuntary System such as breathing) • Thalamus (Senses)

13. Why does alcohol get into your bloodstream so fast? • Alcohol rapidly diffuses across membranes. • It doesn’t take time to get into your blood. • Mouth, esophagus, stomach, SI. • 20% absorbed by stomach. • 70% absorbed by small intestine.

14. Factors that AFFECT its Absorption • Carbonation (Champagne) Increases Absorption • Food in Stomach-decreases absorption

15. Metabolism of Alcohol • Alcohol dehydrogenase is found in the stomach and liver mostly in liver but metabolism gets started in the stomach. • Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase is found in your liver. Alcohol when completely metabolized is converted to acetic acid.

16. BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT (BAC) Alcohol goes from stomach and small intestine to the blood stream. Rate depends on: Speed of drinking, food content in stomach and gender. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO BAC: • Body weight • Percent Body Fat • Alcohol Dehydrogenasein Stomach; Women Metabolize less alcohol in their stomachs than men do because the stomach enzyme (dehydrogenase) is 4X more active in men than in women! (MEANING a higher BAC in Women after consuming same alcohol)

17. About Alcohol and Fatty Tissue • After alcohol is absorbed, it is distributed through the body tissues. • Women have higher % of fat tissue per body weight. • More alcohol remains in the blood stream. • Higher blood alcohol remains with the same amount of alcohol

18. Another Factor for BAC • How often you drink- Chronic drinkers have very active stomach enzymes ( dehydrogenase) and metabolize alcohol rapidly.

19. Intolerance of Acetaldehyde • Certain races cannot tolerate Acetaldehyde as it causes Flushing Syndrome…headache, vomiting, or hives. The Drug ANTIBUSE for treatment of abuse-inhibits action of acetaldehyde androgenase. Why would this be a treatment????’

20. BAC Conc. And Body Weight

21. EXAMPLE • 150 1b person metabolizes .22 oz of alcohol per hour ( 6 oz. of beer) • Some 2 – 10% is excreted by lungs and kidney un- metabolized.

22. For the Breathalyzers • 2-10% of ingested alcohol is excreted without being metabolized. Excretion is through the lungs, kidneys and sweat glands. • This is basis of breath and urine analysis tests and fairly accurate for BAC.

23. BAC and Driving: What’s Legal? • Legal limit for BAC is .08% for drivers 21 years of age and over. • For under 21 years, most states have zero tolerance laws, some have limit of 0.01% or 0.02%.

24. The Dose-Response Relationship between BAC and Car Crashes • A person with a BAC of 0.14 is more than 40X more likely to be involved in a crash than someone with no alcohol in his/her blood. • A person with BAC above 0.14; 380 X higher risk of have a fatal car crash

25. Faulty Liver and Cirrhosis Chronic use of alcohol can lead to liver dysfunction. Alcoholic hepatitis-inflammation of the liver Fatty liver- fat cells accumulate on liver which is replaced by scar tissue, a condition known as cirrhosis “useless liver cells” as they can no longer metabolize alcohol…or anything else. Didyou know this is the 12th leading cause of death in the US???

26. Wernicke-korsakoffSyndrome This is very serious CNS impairment, a form of alcohol-related amnesia and personality disorder, associated with people who consume high levels of alcohol.

28. Special Terms Affiliated With Alcoholism • What are DTs? Delirium Tremens, a physical medical emergency resulting from withdrawal of alcohol from an alcoholic. • DTs are characterized by severe disorientation, confusion, epileptic-like seizures, vivid hallucinations, Mortality can be as high as 15%.

29. OF ALCOHOL USE SOME EFFECTS

31. Sexuality • Small Doses: Improves performance as it 1. Rids mind of inhibitions and 2. promotes relaxation • Higher Doses: Reduced erectile response. AND reduced vaginal lubrication.

32. Sleep Although alcohol allows you to fall asleep faster it disrupts proper non-REM and REM sleep patterns. You don’t get your deep sleep. Without this a restful night cannot occur.

33. Does Alcohol Keep you Warm on a Cold Day? • It dilates your surface blood vessels, makes you feel warm, even sweaty • But you are really losing heat! • Ultimately, your body temperature drops

34. Alcohol is a CNS Depressant • Suppresses part of brain involved in coordinating various parts of Nervous System • Interferes w/ inhibitions • Depresses functions of nerves, therefore muscles, including heart • Alters liver function and ultimately destroys it.

35. How does alcohol interact with other drugs? • Aspirin or Acetametiphen (Tylenol) • Profuse stomach or esophageal bleeding. • Severe liver damage and CAN BE FATAL! • Cocaine • Cocaethylene (<1/2 of all cocaine deaths).

36. Heart Moderate Doses: 1-2 drinks a day: Linked to decreased risk of CVD Linked to increased lifespan High Doses and Chronic Use: More than 2 drinks a day: Opposite effect Neg effects on heart- problems Raises BP Increase Risk for Stroke and Heart Attack

37. Chronic alcohol use • Digestive system: • Liver cells damaged/destroyed (cirrhosis). • 10th leading cause of death in USA. • Pancreatic inflammation = vomiting. • Cancer • Alcoholics die of cancer 10x versus non-alcoholics. • 3+ drinks per day doubles risk of breast cancer.

38. Hangover • Nausea, headache and stomach distress. • Actually, you are suffering from two things: 1. Metabolites of alcohol and 2. DEHYDRATION. • Best remedies for hangover replace fluids. • Alcohol is a diuretic- it promotes urine production.

39. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome • Large amounts of alcohol consumption by a pregnant women significantly increase risk for FAS. • Characterized by irreversible mental retardation, poor motor control, facial abnormalities plus others. • 3rd leading cause of birth defects accompanied by mental retardation. **Moderate drinking: much higher risk of miscarriage or low-birthweight.

40. Other symptoms of FAS: • Small size for gestational age or small stature in relation to peers • Facial abnormalities such as small eye openings • Poor coordination • Hyperactive behavior • Learning disabilities • Developmental disabilities (e.g., speech and language delays) • Mental retardation or low IQ • Problems with daily living • Poor reasoning and judgment skills • Sleep and sucking disturbances in infancy

42. Stop

43. Effects of Drinking • Low conc.- BAC of 0.03-0.05%- relaxation, release of inhibitions, mild euphoria, and you become more sociable. • High conc. BAC: 0.1% : These pleasant feelings are replaced with negative; motor coordination is impaired, as well as it verbal performance and intellectual functions. Emotional outbreaks can occur as well as anger. • At .2% BAC most people are unable to function. • At .35% coma and higher ….death.

44. What’s Brewing ?

45. How is Alcohol Made • Fermentation- This is an anaerobic ( without oxygen) process. Living organisms such as yeast through metabolism of glucose during anaerobic respiration, give off ethyl alcohol as a byproduct. • Wine- Just ferment the plant ( grapes) • Hard liquor- More conc. Alcohol- 1) Ferment (grains usually) 2) to make more conc. DISTILL it.

47. Why does alcohol get into your bloodstream so fast? • Alcohol rapidly diffuses across membranes. • It doesn’t take time to get into your blood. • Mouth, esophagus, stomach, SI. • 20% absorbed by stomach. • 70% absorbed by small intestine.