Human Physiology and Alcohol

Rev 3.09 5-1

Human Physiology and Alcohol

Rev 3.09 5-2

Physiology of Alcohol

• The biological science of essential & characteristic life processes, activities & functions

• Endogenous Alcohol

• Absorption

• Distribution

• Elimination

Rev 3.09 5-3

Physiology Overview

• Endogenous alcohol production

• Absorption

• Distribution

• Elimination• metabolism

• excretion

Rev 3.09 5-4

Routes of Alcohol

• Inhalation

• Injection

• Absorption

• Insertion

• Ingestion

Rev 3.09 5-5

Gastrointestinal Tract Absorption

• Mouth • 5 %

• Stomach • 25%

• Small Intestine • 70%

Absorption and Distribution

Rev 3.09 5-7

Absorption Process

• Passive process

• Migrate from HIGH concentration to LOW concentration

• Migrates as unchanged molecule

• Across cell membranes

• Enters blood supply- circulatory system to affect body

Rev 3.09 5-8

x x x x x x x x x x x x

x xGastric

Blood Stream

Cell Membrane

High Conc Low Conc

Migration of ETOH

Rev 3.09 5-9

Distribution

• Alcohol distributed throughout body by circulatory system blood supply

• Some organs receive more volume blood than others

• some organs and body parts have more water content than others

Rev 3.09 5-10

A person with a BrAC of 0.100…

• Urine 1.35%

• Brain 1.17%

• Blood Plasma 1.16%

• Saliva 1.12%

• Liver 0.91%

• Fat Tissue 0.02%

Distribution

Rev 3.09 5-11

ETOH Distribution Pathways

Representation of Ethyl Alcohol Distribution Pathways

Male vs Female

Each man consumes

One fluid ounce

Of Ethyl Alcohol

200# Male = 136% water 100# Male = 68% water

200# man must consume twice as much as the 100# man to attain the same alcohol concentration

100# male = 68% water 100# female = 55% water

______________________________________________________________________________________________

100 # male must consume more alcohol than the 100# female to attain the same alcohol concentration

More alcohol per pound of water in 100# male than 200# male

More alcohol per pound of water in 100# female than 100# male

Rev 3.09 5-13

Elimination (Part 1)

• Metabolism• Alcohol Dehydrogenase Enzyme ADH• Produced by liver

• Oxidizes or burns alcohol molecule

• 95-98% alcohol in body is metabolized

• Rate of 1 drink per hour, about 0.015

?? 0.150 BrAC how long to reach 0.000 BrAC ??

Rev 3.09 5-14

Elimination (Part2)

• Direct Excretion– Alcohol directly excreted or passed out of body

by:• Urine

• Sweat

• tears

• saliva

Rev 3.09 5-15

When drinking rate exceeds elimination rate, the brain becomes sedated

Alcohol In / Out

Rev 3.09 5-16

Widmark Formula

• Eric Widmark Swedish scientist

• Formula or Graph describes BAC level

• Describes different phases

• how many drinks in body at the time of the test

• Dose related concept

• Body weight

• %BAC x Body Weight x 0.33 = # of drinks

ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF 80 PROOF LIQUOR NEEDED TO REACH GIVEN LEVELS OF ALCOHOL IN THE BLOOD

Rev 3.09 5-18

Widmark Graph

• Three parts of blood alcohol curve– absorptive phase

– peak phase

– elimination phase

Rev 3.09 5-19Time

Peak

Elimination Phase

Absorption Phase

General Alcohol Concentration CurveA

lcoh

ol

Con

cen

tra t

ion

Rev 3.09 5-20

Factors affecting Widmark curve

• Food in the stomach

• Amount or number of drinks consumed

• Body weight

• Time

Rev 3.09 5-21

Elimination Rate*

7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM

11 PM

12 AM 1 AM 2 AM 3 AM 4 AM 5 AM 6 AM 7 AM

Absorption Elimination

.150

.100

.050

.000

.080

* 150 LBS person drinking on an empty stomach

.150

.100

.080

.050

.000

Hours 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

12

Stops Drinking

.090

.120

Legally Intoxicated

Legally Impaired

Rev 3.09 5-22Time

EMPTY STOMACH

FULL STOMACH

Ethanol Absorption: Effect of Food in the Stomach

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Rev 3.09 5-23

Dose Related

10 DRINKS

5 DRINKS

TIME

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Rev 3.09 5-24

110 LBS

220 LBS

TIME

Body Weight

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Rev 3.09 5-25

10 DRINKS

ONE HOUR

10 DRINKS TEN HOURS

TIME

Time Related

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Rev 3.09 5-26Time

Arrest Test

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Alcohol Concentration LOWER at the Time of Test than at Time of Arrest

Rev 3.09 5-27Time

Arrest Test

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Alcohol Concentration THE SAME at the Time of Test and Arrest

Rev 3.09 5-28

Arrest Test

Alc

ohol

C

once

ntr

a tio

n

Time

Alcohol Concentration HIGHER at the Time of Test than Time of Arrest

Rev 3.09 5-29

PHARMACOLOGY OF ALCOHOL

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE HUMAN BODY

Rev 3.09 5-31

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• DEPRESSANT - NOT A STIMULANT• DOSE RELATED

• more drinks,greater influence, increased impairment

• AFFECTS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM• brain

Myths vs Facts

alcohol It is a Stimulant

It has Nutrients

It increases Mental and

Physical ability

In given amounts alcohol

affects individuals in the

same way

There are ways to sober

up quickly

Any amount will cause

bodily damage

It is a Depressant

It has Calories

It decreases Mental and

Physical ability

In given amounts alcohol

affects individuals in different

ways

Time is the only way to sober

up

It will cause bodily damage if

consumed in excess

Greek & Roman Banquets

First Description of Effects of Wine by Eubulus

Health Revel

Pleasure Black Eyes

Sleep To Policemen

Violence Biliousness

Uproar Hurling Furniture

Rev 3.09 5-35

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

VISIBLE SIGNS

VS

INVISIBLE SIGNS

Rev 3.09 5-36

Sequ

ence of M

ental G

rowth

1 Vital Functions 3

2 Muscle Control 2

3 Higher Learning 1 Center

Pro

gres

sion

of

Eth

anol

’s S

edat

ive

Eff

ects

Ethanol and Your Brain

Higher Learning

Vital Functions

Muscle Control

Stages of Intoxication

Begins Ends

Sobriety 0.00 0.05

Euphoria 0.03 0.12

Excitement 0.09 0.25

Confusion 0.18 0.30

Stupor 0.27 0.40

Coma 0.35 0.50

Death 0.35 0.50

Rev 3.09 5-38

VISABLE SIGNS

• Confusion• Sleepiness• Disorderly/sloppy appearance• Slurred, thick tongued speech• Nausea • Red, flushed face• Glassy, watery eyes, staring

Rev 3.09 5-39

Rel

ativ

e P

rob

abil

ity

.00 .02 .04 .06 .08 .10 .12 .14 .16 .18

1

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

%BAC

Relative Probability

of Causing an Accident

The Role of Alcohol in Traffic Accidents(The Grand Rapids Study)

Rev 3.09 5-40

Rev 3.09 5-41

Physiology of RespirationVital Processes

• Function of Respiration

• Mechanism of Respiration

• Alveolar Sac

• Henry’s Law

Rev 3.09 5-42

Blood

Gas Exchange

C2H5OH Lung Space

Exchange of ETOH Between Blood & Breath

in the Alveolar Sacs of the Lungs

Rev 3.09 5-43

Air In /Air Out

Y

0

Rev 3.09 5-44

Henry’s Law:The vapor pressure that a gas exerts above a liquid is directly proportional to the weight of the gas dissolved in the liquid at 34° C.

• Chemical principle

• partitioning ratio between gas and liquid phase

• occurs at equilibrium• balance, no net change

• occurs at 34oC

• occurs in a breath sample

Rev 3.09 5-45

Henry’s Law

• Simulator at 34ºC

• alcohol and water mixture

• 1 to 2100 ratio for alcohol

• Similar to breath sample

• Higher temp = higher reading

• lower temp = lower reading

Rev 3.09 5-46

Liquid to Vapor

x xx x x x x xx x x x x x x xxx xxx xxx

Head Space – Measure alcohol in air

Measure liquid or alcohol in water using a

1/2100 proportion

2100 molecules

@ 34ºC equilibrium is reached between liquid and vapor

210L

100ml

x

2100 molecules

1 molecule

x x x x xx xx x x x xx xx xx xx x x

Rev 3.09 5-47

Alcohol in Solution Alcohol in Vapor

2100 molecules 1 molecule

4200 molecules 2 molecules





Henry’s Law

Rev 3.09 5-48

• The alcohol breath test based on Henrys Law• Breath sample is “End Expiratory Air” from

lungs• Partitioning ratio is 1 to 2100• Breath has 1/ 2100th as much alcohol as found

in blood • Blood has 2100 times as much alcohol as

breath

Henry’s Law

Rev 3.09 5-49

• Grams of alcohol per

• BrAC = 210 liters breath

• BAC = 100 mls of blood

• Reported as Weight per Volume

• grams alcohol /210 liters breath

• grams alcohol / 100 milliliters blood

Henry’s Law

Rev 3.09 5-50

Advantages of Breath Testing

• Immediate Results

• Lower Cost

• Non Invasive Procedure

• No Medical Personnel Needed

• Not Possible for Operator to Alter Results

• Fewer Witnesses for Court

Rev 3.09 5-51

Intoxilyzer BrAC = BAC

The ultimate proof that the Intoxilyzer is an accurate scientific instrument comes from research which shows that simultaneous Blood & Breath tests had similar results.

This type of research is also conducted using a simulator with a known alcohol content. This is the method used for checking the calibration of Intoxilyzers in Colorado.

Ultimate Proof

Rev 3.09 5-52

Documents

Human Physiology and Alcohol