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Class Notes for Health Unit 6 Alcohol and Tobacco
Alcohol is a class of chemical compounds.
The active ingredient is ethanol or ethyl alcohol, often referred
to as just alcohol.
Alcohol is the most abused drug in the U.S.
The alcohol percentage in wine and beer is noted on the label.
(e.g. approximately 4% for domestic beer and 12% for most
wines).
In a bottle of "hard liquor" (vodka, gin, scotch etc.), the
percentage of alcohol is half of the "proof" which is listed on
the bottle. (A bottle of 90 proof vodka is 45% alcohol)
Liquor is processed or distilled from different food sources.
Bourbon - corn
Whiskey- rye
Scotch - barley
Vodka- rye, corn, potatoes Rum- sugar cane
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the circulatory system unless
food is present to slow it down.
Alcohol affects the brain, nerves, muscles and blood vessels
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Alcohol passes through the liver, which filters the blood.
The liver removes the toxins from the alcohol but will be
damaged over time. (Approximately 1 drink per hour). Excess
alcohol builds in the body.
Alcohol Equivalents
1 ounce of hard liquor 12 ounces of beer
3-4 ounces of wine
1 (10 ounce) wine cooler
BAC (blood alcohol concentration)
BAC is the amount of alcohol in a person's blood.
Alcohol is a toxin (poison). The body breaks it down and
excretes it.
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Factors That Affect BAC
Amount Consumed- the number of drinks affects BAC
Speed of Consumption- drinking faster increases BAC
Body Weight- heavier people have a higher volume of blood
and can therefore consume more
Percentage of Body Fat- persons with a higher percentage
of body fat will have a higher BAC after one drink than a
person with a lower percentage of body fat
Gender- BAC rises faster in females (higher % of body fat,
hormones making females more sensitive to the effects, less
of a stomach enzyme that breaks down alcohol before
absorption)
Food Consumption- alcohol passes into the bloodstream
faster when the stomach is empty
Presence of Other Drugs- tranquilizers and analgesics
increase the depressant effects of alcohol
Age- elderly people have a lower blood volume
Carbonated Alcoholic Beverages- carbonation speeds
absorption into the bloodstream
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Physiological Effects of Alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant
Alcohol is a vasodilator (opens the blood vessels)
Depth perception is impaired
Reaction time is delayed
Speech is slurred
Users may become aggressive, angry and violent
Breathing and heart rate slow down
Users may pass out, become comatose or die
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The Hangover
Headache pain, unpleasant sensations in the mouth, nausea,
dehydration and vomiting are all forms of withdrawal from
alcohol.
Ethanol has a dehydrating effect by causing increased urine
production. It is a diuretic.
The dehydration may cause headaches, dry mouth and lethargy.
Dehydration causes the brain to shrink away from the skull
slightly.
Alcohol's effect on the stomach lining can cause nausea.
Headache is caused by the brain re-hydrating itself.
Presently, the only "cure" for a hangover is the passage of time.
Drinking a large amount of water or a re-hydrating drink prior to
sleep will effectively reduce many symptoms.
Exercise after heavy intoxication helps the heart pump blood
around the body and increases oxygen levels.
Jogging allows the heart rate to increase and help the body get
over a hangover.
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Cirrhosis
The liver removes poisons from the blood as well as germs and
bacteria. It also makes bile break down lipids.
In cirrhosis, scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue. This
blocks the flow of blood through the organ
Cirrhosis has many causes but chronic alcoholism and hepatitis
C are the most common.
Alcoholic Liver Disease -The amount of alcohol that can
injure the liver varies greatly. In women, as few as 2-3 drinks a
day have been linked with cirrhosis and as few as 3-4 in men.
Alcohol seems to injure the liver by blocking the normal
metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates.
Chronic hepatitis C
This virus causes inflammation of and damage to the liver that
can lead to cirrhosis.
Symptoms of Cirrhosis
Exhaustion
Weakness
Fatigue
Weight Loss
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain
Nausea
Damage cannot be reversed but treatment can delay further
complications.
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Violent Crimes and Alcohol Use
64% of murders
41 % of assaults
34% of rapes
30% of suicides
60%of child abuse
Antabuse (disulfiram) - this drug is used in recovering
alcoholics. It causes severe nausea and vomiting if the alcoholic
sneaks a drink while on it.
Withdrawal from Alcohol
A severe form of withdrawal from alcohol is the DT's (delirium
tremors).
This condition requires medical attention. It is a state of mental
confusion with hallucinations and continual movement.
FAS
Fetal alcohol syndrome causes mental and physical defects in
newborns due to mothers ingesting alcohol during pregnancy.
Tobacco
Active ingredient- nicotine
Nicotine is a stimulant and a vasoconstrictor (narrows blood
vessels).
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Statistics show that approximately 5,000 children light up for the
first time daily.
One out of five high school seniors smoke regularly.
The withdrawal effects of nicotine are extremely difficult to deal
with.
The most harmful effects of smoking are the tars that become
trapped in the lung tissue. Smokers that smoke 1-3 packs daily
accumulate ¼ to 1 ½ pounds of black tar in their lungs annually.
Tar is the primary cause of emphysema. It is a disease of the
lungs where the alveoli burst and form open pockets of space in
the lung.
The lung tissue does not regenerate. Premature deaths in the
U.S. due to smoking total 485,000 annually.
Smokers will feel the benefits of quitting almost immediately.
Within 20 minutes of their last cigarette, blood pressure will
drop to normal levels.
Within 3 hours blood levels of oxygen return to normal. After 72
hours the nicotine is out of the blood and lung capacity is
increasing. Over time olfactory and taste sensations improve.
The lungs can eventually return to normal color and function.