Alcohol : FraternityMed.com

Alcohol depresses the central nervous system. When you drink a lot really fast your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises to the point of depressing the areas in your brain that control breathing, heart rate, and level of consciousness. The result is coma that can progress to death.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Unconscious, "sleeping", passed out – you cannot wake the person up
Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin
Slow breathing, less than 8 breaths per minute, or irregular breathing, with 10 seconds or more between breaths
Vomiting while "sleeping" or passed out, and not waking up after vomiting

If a person has any of these symptoms, they are likely suffering from alcohol poisoning. It is important for them to receive medical attention.

What To Do

Call 911
Use the Bacchus Maneuver to roll the person into the recovery position to prevent them from choking
Do not leave the person alone. Stay with them and monitor breathing until medical help arrive

The Bacchus Maneuver

Raise the person's closest arm above his head. Prepare to roll him/her towards you.
Gently roll the person as a unit. Guard his/her head as you roll him/her.
Tilt head to maintain airway. Tuck nearest hand under cheek to help maintain head tilt.
Check him/her often.

Bacchus Maneuver: The Student Life Education Company, BACCHUS Canada

"How much alcohol is really in a drink?"
12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine or 1.5 oz of 80 proof alcohol each contain about 10 grams of alcohol.

"What is the nutritional value of alcohol?"
1 gram of alcohol contains about 7 kcal of empty carbohydrate.

"How much alcohol does it take to kill a person?"
Alcohol poisoning is a tragic occurrence on college campuses. Death can occur with the ingestion of 300 to 400 mg/dl of alcohol. If 2 drinks consists of 20 to 30 mg/dl of alcohol and impairment is seen at this level, then 20+ drinks may be enough to kill a person. John Bonham, former drummer for Led Zeppelin was reported to have ingested 40 shots of alcohol before he died of alcohol poisoning.

"I can drink more than my friends, why is that?"
Alcohol is absorbed and expressed differently. Factors such as recent food ingestion, other drugs or medications and overall health as well as body mass may affect the way you process alcohol.

"How fast can my body process alcohol as I drink?"
The body can absorb and metabolize alcohol at a rate of 0.5 oz an hour. If you drink 1.5 oz of alcohol rapidly, you will need three hours to clear this from your system (estimated). Any alcohol you consume as you continue to drink is cleared at the same rate.

"What is the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle after drinking alcohol?"
Legally intoxicated means that you have a blood alcohol level of 0.08-0.10 depending on the state you are in.

"What does the BAL (blood alcohol level) number mean?"
This is a determination of how many milligrams of alcohol are present in 100 milliliters of blood and can be determined by breathalyzer or serum/blood sample.

"How can I tell if my BAL is too high before I get behind the wheel?"
If you are not sure, don't drive! If you are between 180 and 200 pounds and have consumed 2 drinks (1oz of alcohol) and waited for at least an hour, you might by okay to drive below the legal limit as a general guideline. If you have not eaten that day or are taking other substances or drugs this may impair you further. You can also purchase your own breathalyzer.

"What is a 'zero tolerance law'?"
With regard to drugs and alcohol, some states are very intolerant of anyone caught driving a vehicle under the influence. Zero tolerance means that some states may not give you a second chance before prosecuting you for this vehicular offense.

"I've been stopped driving under the influence twice."
Being stopped for drunk driving once has a 75% association with alcoholism. Being stopped twice means that there is a 95% chance that you are an alcoholic and should seek counseling and strongly consider a recovery program and abstinence.

"How should I feel at the different blood alcohol levels?"
According to FactsOnTap.org symptoms associated with different levels of intoxication can be roughly judged as follows;

0.02-0.03%	Mild relaxation and lightheadedness.
0.05-0.06%	Warm and relaxed, exaggerated behavior, louder speaking voice, loss of inhibition, mild euphoria.
0.08-0.09%	The person will believe that they are functioning better than they really are, speech is slurred and balance is off. Ability to see and hear is impaired. It becomes difficult to decide to keep drinking or not.
0.10-0.12%	Motor skills are markedly impaired, poor memory, difficulty getting an erection, exaggerated emotions and behavior.
0.14-0.17%	Difficulty walking and standing, severely impaired judgement, increased risk of injury to yourself and to others.
0.20%	Confused and dazed and disoriented, needing help to stand and walk, diminished sense of pain from injury, nausea and impaired gag reflex causes choking in some people.
0.25%	All mental and physical and sensory functions are severely impaired, risk of asphyxiation from choking or injury from falling.
0.30%	Person is in a stupor and may lose consciousness.
0.35%	Person is at the level of surgical anesthesia and may stop breathing.
0.40%	Person is in a coma and at risk of dying from alcohol poisoning.

"I can drive just fine when I drink!"
'Practiced driving' is considered psychomotor performance and does not qualify as 'normal' driving since the driver is still considered impaired.

"I only drive around my neighborhood so I feel comfortable drinking and driving."
Most accidents occur within a few miles of a persons home and are not on freeways. If an intoxicated driver kills only themselves in a motor vehicle accident it is sad for the family of the victim. The community breathes a sigh of relief that that person did not kill or maim an innocent bystander or another motorist in the accident.

"How do active alcoholics die?"
The causes of death in alcoholics include (in order of frequency); heart disease, cancer, accidents and suicide.

"What is my lifetime risk for becoming alcoholic?"
10% of males and 3-5% of females are at risk for developing alcoholism.

"How long is an alcoholic's lifespan shortened by?"
According to Alcoholics Anonymous, the average alcoholic loses 15 years of life through chronic alcohol use.

"What is Holiday Heart?"
People who drink to excess, even rarely (such as on holidays) can develope an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. People who have this feel fatigued, breathless, complain of weakness and occasionally chest discomfort. Hospitalization and treatment for this is indicated. Holiday heart is not limited to older people and can occur at any age.