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ALCOHOL NOTES
Alcohol Is a Drug
1- Drug- any chemical that causes
changes in a person’s body or behavior.
Illegal drugs- chemicals that are
forbidden by law because unpredictable
effects outweigh useful purposes.
2- Alcohol- a drug that acts as a powerful
depressant.
3- Depressant- a drug that slows brain and
body’s reaction. (Ex. Drowsiness)
Prohibition = US Government made the
use & sale of alcohol illegal.
Roaring 20’s
Ended in 1933
4- Fermentation- Process in which yeast breaks down
sugar into alcohol & carbon dioxide.
5- Ethanol- alcohol found in beverages such as beer,
wine, and liquor.
- the alcohol content of most alcoholic beverages is
between 6-50 %.
6- Proof- a measure of the percentage of alcohol in a
beverage; the proof is twice the percentage of alcohol
by volume.
*In order to find the % of ethanol in an alcoholic beverage find
the proof and divide by 2.
ex. 90 proof vodka is 45% alcohol (Proof ÷ 2).
Fact: The highest proof of alcohol that can legally be
bought in most American states is 180 proof.
PROOFS- the percent of ethanol (% x 2)
Beer= average 4.5 % (9 proof)
Wine= average 11 % (22 proof)
Champagne= average 12% (24 proof)
Hard liquor= average 40-95% (80-190)
What happens to the body when alcohol is consumed?
Alcohol is absorbed in the “blood stream” circulating
throughout the body including the brain and nervous
system. Drinker feels warm!
Fact: Drinking causes blood vessels to widen. More
blood flows to surface & drinker feels warm. Drinker’s
body temperature drops because increased blood
flow allows body heat to escape.
*ALCOHOL ABSORBTION
20% is absorbed in the stomach
80% in the small intestine…bloodstream
How fast alcohol is absorbed depends on
several things
Concentration of alcohol (diluted will slow
it down)
Type of drink- carbonated faster
Amount of food in stomach- full= slower
*ABSORBTION contd.
Mouth—Esophagus—Stomach (20%)—Small
Intestine (80%)—Bloodstream
Alcohol enters bloodstream and dissolves in the
water in the blood, alcohol is then carried
throughout the body, as it dissolves in the tissues
of the body where it has its effect.
How can you remove alcohol from your
body? How can you sober up?
-
Drink coffee?
Take a cold shower?
Sleep it off?
Eat bread or a meal?
Drink lots of water?
ALCOHOL EXCRETION
7- How is alcohol removed from the body?
Kidney- (5 %) Produces more urine than usual &
drinker loses more water. Drinker becomes
thirsty.
Lungs- (5 %) Exhalation (breathalyzer)
Liver- (90%)
1 drink= 1.25 oz. of hard liquor, 5 oz. of wine, 12
oz. of beer. They’re all EQUAL!!!
Each drink is equivalent
=
=
8- It takes your body approximately 1
hour to eliminate the alcohol in 1 drink.
TIME is the only way to remove alcohol
from your body.
9- Intoxication- when people drink alcohol faster than the
body can break it down their mental & physical abilities
become impaired (drunk).
You inhibitions become lowered. People more likely to do
things they normally wouldn’t if sober!
Ex. Unprotected sex, life of the party, verbal & physical
fights, etc.
Physical & Behavioral Effects
10- Brain- loss of sensation, lack of
coordination, decrease in sharpness of vision,
hearing, & other senses.
Effects on the BrainDepressant
Alcohol affects the brain by suppressing the
excitatory nerve pathways, and increasing the
inhibitory nerve pathways = making you
sluggish, slow.
All portions of the brain are affected leading
to various behaviors.
Physical Effects
Lining of stomach and intestine irritated= vomit
Increased sweating= flushed and sweaty
Reduces blood flow to muscles= muscle aches
(next day)
Blood Alcohol Concentration:
11- Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)- Amount of
alcohol in a person’s blood expressed as a
percentage.
Ex. A BAC of 0.1%= one tenth of 1% of the fluid in
the blood is alcohol.
Two people that drink the same amount of
alcohol may not be equally effected.
12- Factors Affecting BAC
a- Rate of consumption- how fast you consume alcohol in a
short amount of time.
b- Gender- Alcohol is diluted (made weaker) in water
Muscle tissue has more water than fat tissue, so alcohol will be
diluted (made weaker) in a man (Assuming that a typical man
has more muscle than a typical woman).
c. Body size- smaller people feel the effects
more than larger people.
d. Amount of food in stomach- drinking on
empty stomach allows alcohol to absorb quicker
in bloodstream.
13- Binge drinking- drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in
one sitting.
14- Overdose- taking an excessive amount of a drug.
*If drinking continues breathing/ heart rate & blood pressure
decrease. A drinker may lose consciousness, slip into a coma, or
die from alcohol poisoning.
15- blackouts- periods of time the drinker cannot recall.
16- Hangover- a term for physical symptoms after drinking too
much alcohol. (Ex. nausea, upset stomach, headache, etc.)
STAGES OF EFFECTS
1. Euphoria
Daring, self confident, flushed, judgment is poor, short attention
span.
2. Dazed
Sleepy, poor memory, uncoordinated, blurry vision, poor senses.
3. Confusion
Severe confusion, dizzy, highly emotional, slurred speech.
4. Stupor
Can barely move, Vomit, in and out of consciousness.
5. Coma
Unconscious, Pupils don’t respond to light, cold, slow heart rate,
might die.
6. Death
17- Driving while intoxicated (DWI)- drivers
over 21 caught driving with a BAC that
exceeds the legal limit on 0.08.
18- Zero tolerance laws- No acceptable BAC
for drivers under 21.
- strict penalties
- take away license
- pay fines
Long- Term Risks
12345-
Brain damage
Heart Disease
Digestive problems
Liver damage
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Long- Term Health risks contd.
19- Brain damage- alcohol destroys nerve cells
causing (brain shrinkage) forgetfulness, inability to
concentrate, & poor judgment.
20- Heart disease- fat deposits in heart muscle
causing poor blood flow. Heart disease is the leading
cause of death in the US.
21- Digestive problems- irritates the tissue lining of
the mouth, throat, esophagus, & stomach (ulcers).
22- Cells of the liver die and
harden= liver failure= CIRRHOSIS.
Disease in which scar tissue
replaces normal liver tissue. Since
there’s no blood flow in the scared
area, the liver begins to fail.
23- Decreased sperm
production (toxins kill sperm
& change hormone levels)
24- Emotional and social
problems (depends on the
person)
25- Fetal alcohol syndrome- birth
defects caused by alcohol during
pregnancy.
Ex. Heart problems, malformed
faces, delayed growth, mental
retardation, & brain or behavioral
problems.
Long- Term Health Risks
26- Alcoholism- Drinker can’t control alcohol use &
depend on it to function.
27- Tolerance- when the body gets used to or builds
up resistance to a drug.
28- Dependence- brain develops chemical need for
alcohol & can’t function normally without it.
29- Addiction- no control over drinking. Becomes a
disease!
30- Withdrawal- symptoms that occur when a
dependent person stops taking a drug. (ex.
Shakiness, sleep problems, irritability, &
sweating.)
31- Reverse tolerance- condition where less &
less alcohol cause intoxication.
Complete Homework:
Using the online book complete the last
page of notes.