Human Physiology and Alcohol
Rev 3.09
5-1
Physiology of Alcohol
• The biological science of essential & characteristic
life processes, activities & functions
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Endogenous Alcohol
Absorption
Distribution
Elimination
Rev 3.09
5-2
Physiology Overview
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Endogenous alcohol production
Absorption
Distribution
Elimination
• metabolism
• excretion
Rev 3.09
5-3
Routes of Alcohol
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Rev 3.09
Inhalation
Injection
Absorption
Insertion
Ingestion
5-4
Gastrointestinal Tract
Absorption
• Mouth
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5%
• Stomach
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25%
• Small Intestine
• 70%
Rev 3.09
5-5
Absorption and
Distribution
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
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5-7
Migration of ETOH
Low Conc
High Conc
Gastric
Rev 3.09
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Cell Membrane
Blood
Stream
5-8
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
5-9
Distribution
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%
Rev 3.09
5-10
ETOH Distribution Pathways
Rev 3.09
Representation of Ethyl Alcohol
Distribution Pathways
5-11
Each man consumes
One fluid ounce
Of Ethyl Alcohol
More alcohol per pound of water in
100# male than 200# male
100# Male = 68% water
200# Male = 136% water
200# man must consume twice as much as the 100# man to attain the
same alcohol concentration
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Male vs Female
More alcohol per pound of water in
100# female than 100# male
100# male = 68% water
100# female = 55% water
100 # male must consume more alcohol than the 100# female to attain the
same alcohol concentration
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
5-13
Elimination (Part2)
• Direct Excretion
– Alcohol directly excreted or passed out of body
by:
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Rev 3.09
Urine
Sweat
tears
saliva
5-14
Alcohol In / Out
When drinking rate exceeds elimination rate, the brain becomes sedated
Rev 3.09
5-15
Widmark Formula
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Rev 3.09
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
5-16
ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF 80 PROOF LIQUOR NEEDED TO
REACH GIVEN LEVELS OF ALCOHOL IN THE BLOOD
Widmark Graph
• Three parts of blood alcohol curve
– absorptive phase
– peak phase
– elimination phase
Rev 3.09
5-18
General Alcohol Concentration Curve
Peak
Elimination Phase
Absorption
Phase
Time
Rev 3.09
5-19
Factors affecting Widmark curve
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Food in the stomach
Amount or number of drinks consumed
Body weight
Time
Rev 3.09
5-20
Elimination Rate*
* 150 LBS person drinking on an empty stomach
.150
Hours
1
2
3
4
Stops
Drinking
5
6
7
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10
11
12
.150
Legally Intoxicated
.120
.100
.100
.090
.080
.080
Legally Impaired
.050
.000
7 PM
Rev 3.09
.050
8 PM
9 PM
Absorption
10 PM
11 PM
12 AM
1 AM
2 AM
3 AM
Elimination
4 AM
5 AM
6 AM
.000
7 AM
5-21
Ethanol Absorption: Effect of Food in the
Stomach
EMPTY STOMACH
FULL STOMACH
Time
Rev 3.09
5-22
Dose Related
10 DRINKS
5 DRINKS
TIME
Rev 3.09
5-23
Body Weight
110 LBS
220 LBS
TIME
Rev 3.09
5-24
Time Related
10 DRINKS
ONE HOUR
10 DRINKS TEN HOURS
TIME
Rev 3.09
5-25
Alcohol Concentration LOWER at the Time of
Test than at Time of Arrest
Arrest
Rev 3.09
Time
Test
5-26
Alcohol Concentration THE SAME at the
Time of Test and Arrest
Arrest
Test
Time
Rev 3.09
5-27
Alcohol Concentration HIGHER at the Time
of Test than Time of Arrest
Arrest
Rev 3.09
Time
Test
5-28
Rev 3.09
5-29
PHARMACOLOGY OF
ALCOHOL
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE
HUMAN BODY
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
• DEPRESSANT - NOT A STIMULANT
• DOSE RELATED
• more drinks,greater influence, increased
impairment
• AFFECTS CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
• brain
Rev 3.09
5-31
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
Pleasure
Sleep
Violence
Uproar
Revel
Black Eyes
To Policemen
Biliousness
Hurling Furniture
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
VISIBLE SIGNS
VS
INVISIBLE SIGNS
Rev 3.09
5-35
Ethanol and Your Brain
Sequence of Mental Growth
Rev 3.09
3
2
Muscle Control
2
3
Higher Learning
Center
1
Progression of Ethanol’s
Sedative Effects
1 Vital Functions
Higher Learning
Vital
Functions
Muscle
Control
5-36
Stages of Intoxication
Sobriety
Euphoria
Excitement
Confusion
Stupor
Coma
Death
Begins
0.00
0.03
0.09
0.18
0.27
0.35
0.35
Ends
0.05
0.12
0.25
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.50
VISABLE SIGNS
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Rev 3.09
Confusion
Sleepiness
Disorderly/sloppy appearance
Slurred, thick tongued speech
Nausea
Red, flushed face
Glassy, watery eyes, staring
5-38
The Role of Alcohol in Traffic Accidents
(The Grand Rapids Study)
45
40
35
Relative
Probability
of Causing an
Accident
30
25
20
15
10
5
1
.00
Rev 3.09
.02
.04
.06
.08
.10
%BAC
.12
.14
.16
.18
5-39
Rev 3.09
5-40
Physiology of Respiration
Vital Processes
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Rev 3.09
Function of Respiration
Mechanism of Respiration
Alveolar Sac
Henry’s Law
5-41
Exchange of ETOH Between Blood & Breath in
the Alveolar Sacs of the Lungs
C2H5OH
Lung Space
Blood
Rev 3.09
Gas Exchange
5-42
Air In /Air Out
Y
0
Rev 3.09
5-43
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
5-44
Henry’s Law
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Rev 3.09
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
5-45
Liquid to Vapor
210L
100ml
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Head Space – Measure alcohol in air
Measure liquid or alcohol in water using a
1/2100 proportion
1
molecule
Rev 3.09
2100
2100
molecules
molecules
@ 34ºC equilibrium is reached between liquid
and vapor
5-46
Henry’s Law
Alcohol in Solution
Alcohol in Vapor
2100 molecules
1 molecule
4200 molecules
2 molecules
6300 molecules
3 molecules
8400 molecules
4 molecules
10500 molecules
5 molecules
21000
molecules
Rev 3.09
10 molecules
5-47
Henry’s Law
• 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
Rev 3.09
5-48
Henry’s Law
• 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
Rev 3.09
5-49
Advantages of Breath Testing
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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
5-50
Ultimate Proof
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.
Rev 3.09
5-51
Rev 3.09
5-52