Ethyl alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and an anesthetic. Alcohol ingestion may cause loss of judgment, incoordination, and disorientation. Higher doses may induce stupor possibly followed by coma and death.
Blood Alcohol Concentration
Clinical Signs & Symptoms
Mild euphoria, decreased inhibitions, diminished attention & judgement
Euphoria, sedation, impaired coordination, decreased sensory responses to stimuli, decreased judgement
Confusion, disorientation, impaired balance, slurred speech
Sleep or stupor, marked muscular incoordination, markedly decreased response to stimuli, incontinence
Coma, hypothermia, respiratory & circulatory failure, possible death
Ethyl alcohol is absorbed rapidly in the proximal small intestine, usually within 30 to 90 minutes after ingestion. More than 90% of ethanol is metabolized by hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidases to acetaldehyde and acetic acid. The primary enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase, is concentrated in the liver, but smaller concentrations are found in the gastric mucosa. Women may have less gastric alcohol dehydrogenase activity than men, explaining their increased bioavailability and higher peak ethanol levels. Aspirin and histamine-2 blockers may inhibit gastric alcohol dehydrogenase activity, causing slightly elevated blood ethanol levels. Other drugs that are metabolized by the hepatic microsomal system such as phenobarbital increase the effect of ethyl alcohol. Daily consumption of 70 to 80 g of alcohol is believed to increase the risk of liver disease for men and 35 to 40 g daily increases the risk for women.
Blood alcohol levels vary depending on the amount consumed, the time elapsed since consumption, metabolic rate, and body weight. Ethanol clearance is nonlinear at concentrations above 20 mg/dL and changes with alcohol concentration. Generally, ethanol metabolism occurs at a rate of 10 to 30mg/dL per hour. The average elimination rate is12+/- 4 mg/dL per hour for nondrinkers, 15+/-4 mg/dL per hour for social drinkers, and 30+/-9 mg/dL per hour for alcoholic persons. Children have a higher average metabolic rate of approximately 28 mg/dL per hour.
A standard drink contains approximately 13 g of absolute alcohol and is often defined as one ounce of 100 proof hard liquor, 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor, one 12-ounce beer, or 5 ounces of wine. The ethanol content of a beverage can be calculated using the following formula: D(g) = F x Volume (mL) x 0.8 g/mL where
For example, the total amount of ethanol in 1.5 ounces of 80 proof whiskey would be calculated as follows: 0.40%v/v x (1.5 oz x 30 mL/oz) x 0.8 g/mL = 14 g.
Household products have the following ethanol content: