Chapter 19

Alcohol

Alcohol….what is it?

Alcohol is a drug that acts as a powerful depressant (depressants slow down your bodies nervous system).

Alcohol as a drug

Legal vs. Illegal drug – which is it? Drug abuse - what is it? Ethanol, what drinks is it found in? Proof – what does it mean?

Class Questions to Answer

Who uses Alcohol?

Why do people drink?

Legal Risks?

Alcohols Effects on the Body

Once alcohol reaches the blood, it is circulated throughout the body and affects every part, including the brain and the rest of the nervous system

Short Term Physical Effects

Bloodstream – Causes blood vessels to widen, more blood goes to skin surface. This allows body heat to escape, dropping body temp.

Brain – Once reaches brain, slows down activities. Drinking to much, the brain looses too many activities and blackouts occur

Liver – Chemically breaks down alcohol into energy and waste (CO2 and H20

Kidneys – Alcohol prevents release of chemicals that regulate urine function (ADH Anti-Diuretic Hormone)

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

This measures the number of milligrams of ethanol per 100 milliliters of blood.

a BAC of 0.1 means that 1/10 of 1 percent of the fluid in the blood is ethanol.

Factors that affect a person’s BAC

Gender Age, weight, and height Concentration of alcohol

in beverages consumed Volume of alcohol

consumed Rate of consumption

Behavioral Effects

Such as… Inhibitions….

Life-Threatening Short-Term Effects

Motor-Vehicle Crashes Synergism (Drug interaction that produce

effects greater than alcohol alone) Overdose

Alcohol Overdose/Poisoning

Motor Vehicle Crash Victim

Long-Term Health Risks

Tolerance Dependence Brain Damage Digestive Problems Liver Damage Heart Disease Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Liver Damage - Cirrhosis

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Alcoholism

An addiction to alcohol. Psychologically, alcoholics consider drinking

a regular, essential part of coping with daily life.

Physically, an alcoholic’s body requires alcohol to function and feel normal.

Stages of Alcoholism

Early Stage Social drinkers, people who drink in small

amounts of alcohol with meals and on special occasions, may try to relieve stress. Gradually, person drinks more excessively. Known as problem drinking

“The urge to keep drinking, is the first sign of an addiction”

Middle Stage Persons dependence

on alcohol become absolute. Generally, person cannot stop after one drink. Refusal to acknowledge drinking problem, thus outwardly appear normal

Stages of Alcoholism - continued

Late Stage Person deteriorate mentally, emotionally, and

physically. Their lives begin to revolve around drinking. Reverse tolerance occurs.

Treatment of Alcoholism

Detoxification – removing alcohol from a persons body. Withdrawal symptoms occur.

Rehabilitation – Process of learning to cope with the stress of everyday living without alcohol.

Support Groups – Community, religious, and health organization the offer support for alcoholics

How Does Alcohol Make you Fat?

A journey of how and why people get alcohol induced guts!

1

A 21 year old takes a drink of Alcohol

2

Within seconds, the beverage passes through your esophagus and into your stomach

3

Twenty percent of the alcohol is absorbed from your stomach into your bloodstream; the rest is absorbed from your intestines.

4

The alcohol travels through your blood to your liver, where it’s broken down (metabolized). During this process, waste products called acetate and acetaldehyde are created.

5

Acetate and acetaldehyde signal your body to stop burning fat. At the same time, your body starts MAKING fat from another product of alcohol, acetyl CoA

6

Your body can effectively process only 0.5 to 1 ounce of alcohol per hour.

So the more someone drink, the longer your body is inhibited from burning fat and the more fat builds up from the excess acetyl CoA.

(A 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounce of Alcohol)