Transcript The Responsible Use of Alcohol

The Responsible Use of Alcohol
Chapter 10
The Nature of Alcohol
• CNS Depressant; effects vary b/c different body
systems are affected to different degrees at different
BACs
– Low concentrations (0.03%-0.05% ) : light-headedness,
relaxation, release of inhibitions
– High concentrations (0.1% -0.2%): motor coordination,
verbal performance and intellectual functions impaired
•Ethyl Alcohol – only alcohol that can be consumed
• Beer: 3-6% alcohol by volume
• Malt Liquors (not lower than 5%): 6-8% alcohol by
volume
• Table wines: 9-14% alcohol by volume
• Fortified wines: 20% alcohol by volume
– Sugar and extra alcohol is added
• Hard liquors: 35-50% (or more) alcohol by volume
2
The Nature of Alcohol
•Proof Value
– Two times the percentage concentration
•Ingestion
– 7 calories per gram
– 1 drink contains 14-17 grams, or 100-120
calories
Alcohol Absorption
•
•
•
•
20% is rapidly absorbed from the stomach
75% is absorbed in the small intestines
Remaining is absorbed along the GI tract
Affected by many factors
– Carbonation: increases absorption rate
– Food in the stomach: slows rate
– Increased alcohol concentration: slows rate
(irritates mucous membranes)
4
Alcohol Intake and Blood Alcohol Concentration
•Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
– A measure of intoxication, determined by amount of alcohol
consumed in a given amount of time and by:
• Body Weight: smaller people develop higher BAC
• Percentage of body fat: higher % body fat, higher BAC (alcohol
stays in bloodstream, less in fat)
• Sex: women metabolize less alcohol in stomach, more released
into bloodstream and women tend to have higher % body fat
• Balance of alcohol absorbed and rate of metabolism
• Genetic factors: chronic drinkers metabolize alcohol faster
• Drinking behavior: the faster you drink, the faster BAC rises
– Can NOT be influenced by
• Exercise, breathing deeply, eating, drinking coffee, taking other
drugs
•Metabolism is the same if the person is sleep or awake or asleep
5
Metabolism and Excretion
• Transported throughout the body via the
bloodstream
• Easily moves through most biological
membranes
• Main site for metabolism is the liver
(digests about 1 drink/hour)
• 2-10% of ingested alcohol is not
metabolized but excreted through skin,
etc.
6
The Immediate Effects of Alcohol on
Health
•
•
•
•
Dependant on the individual
Alcohol hangover
Alcohol poisoning
Higher Concentrations
– Coma usually occurs at 0.35% and higher
concentrations can be fatal
• Dangerous if using alcohol with other
drugs
• Alcohol-related injuries and violence
7
• In 2010
Drinking and Driving
– 32,885people were killed in alcohol
related accidents
• Dose-response function
– Describes the change in effect on an
organism caused by differing levels
of doses to a chemical
– Driving with a BAC of 0.14% makes
you more than 40 times more likely
to be involved in a crash than with a
BAC =0.0%
8
Figure 10.3 The dose-response relationship
between BAC and automobile crashes
9
The Effects of Chronic Use
• Digestive system
– Alters liver function
• Liver cell damage and destruction (cirrhosis)
• Cirrhosis causes drinker to lose capacity to tolerate
alcohol
– Acute Pancreatitis- inflammation of pancreas that can
be caused by heavy alcohol use
10
The Effects of Chronic Use
•Cardiovascular system
•Higher doses elevates BP, and may
weaken heart muscle (cardiac myopathy)
•Cancer
– Mouth, throat, larynx, liver, breast, &
esophagus
•Brain Damage
– Cognitive impairments
– Memory loss, dementia, and
compromised problem-solving
•Mortality
– Alcoholics average life expectancy is
about 15 years less than non-alcoholics
The Effects of Alcohol Use During Pregnancy
• Effects are dose-related
– Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
• Full-blown FAS occurs in up to 15 out of every
10,000 live births in the U.S.
• Small head, abnormal facial structures, heart defects,
and other physical abnormalities
• Slowed physical and mental growth, with many
mentally impaired
– Alcohol-related neurodevelopment disorder
(ARND)
• Appear physically normal but often have learning and
behavioral disorders; more likely to develop
substance abuse as adults
12
Possible Health Benefits of Alcohol
• Moderate doses may reduce the risk of HD
• Moderate drinking = one drink per day for
women and two drinks per day for men
– Raises blood levels of HDL
– May lower risk of diabetes, arterial blockages,
and Alzheimer’s
• On average, light to moderate drinkers live
longer than both abstainers and heavy
users
13
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
• Alcohol abuse is recurrent use that has
negative consequences
• Alcohol dependence or alcoholism includes
more extensive problems like tolerance
and withdrawal
• Warning signs of alcohol abuse
–
–
–
–
–
–
14
Drinking alone
Using deliberately and repeatedly
Feeling uncomfortable on occasions when not drinking
Escalating consumption
Getting drunk regularly
Drinking in the morning or unusual times
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
• Binge Drinking
– The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism defines as:
• Pattern of alcohol use that brings a person’s BAC up to
0.08 or above (typically four drinks for a male or three for
a women) within two hours.
– National Survey on Drug Use and Health defines as:
• Having five drinks in a row for a man or four in a row for
a women within two hours.
– Frequent binge drinkers in college were three to
seven times more likely than non-binge drinkers to
engage in unplanned or unprotected sex
15
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
• Health Effects
– DTs (delirium tremens)
– Paranoia
• Social and Psychological Effects
– Can withdraw from society
– Increased anxiety and depression
16
Treatment Programs
• No one program works for everyone
– AA
• 12-step program
– Employee assistance programs
– Inpatient hospital rehabilitation
– Pharmacological treatments
• Antabuse
–Inhibits the metabolic breakdown
• Naltrexone
–Reduces the craving for alcohol and
decreases its pleasant effects
17
Drinking Behavior and Responsibility
• Examine your drinking behavior
– CAGE screening test: Feel the need to CUT
down, ANNOYED by criticism, feel GUILTY about
drinking, use alcohol as an EYE-OPENER
• Drink moderately and responsibly
– Drink slowly
– Space your drinks
– Eat before and while drinking
– Know your limits and your drinks
18