alcohol notes

Question 1

Amount

Answer 1

the number of drinks a person has

Question 1

BAC (what does it stand for AND what does it mean

Answer 1

BAC is Blood Alcohol Concentration and it is the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood

Question 2

Percentage of body fat

Answer 2

Body fat does not absorb as much alcohol as lean body tissue. A person with a higher percent of body fat will have a higher BAC after one drink than a person with a lower percentage of body fat.

Question 3

Speed

Answer 3

– the rate at which a person consumes alcohol. The faster a person drinks, the liver does not have time to break down the alcohol.

Question 4

Body weight

Answer 4

higher the body weight = a higher amount of blood volume.

Question 5

Gender

Answer 5

BAC rises faster in females. Certain hormones make females more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than males. Females also have less of a certain stomach enzyme that breaks down alcohol before it enters the bloodstream.

Question 6

Feelings

Answer 6

Stress, anger, and fear can affect BAC by speeding up the time it takes alcohol to enter the bloodstream.

Question 7

Amount of food eaten –

Answer 7

alcohol passes more quickly into the bloodstream when the stomach is empty than

Question 8

Other drugs in the bloodstream –

Answer 8

the presence of certain drugs in the bloodstream increases the effects of alcohol. For example, tranquilizers and painkillers increase the depressant effects of alcohol.

Question 9

Age

Answer 9

elderly people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than are younger people. The bodies of elderly people contain a lower volume of blood than the bodies of younger people.

Question 10

Drinking carbonated beverages

Answer 10

the alcohol in carbonated beverages passes into the bloodstream more quickly than the alcohol in noncarbonated drinks.

Question 11

• Functional tolerance

Answer 11

• is a decrease in the body’s sensitivity to alcohol’s effects. A person will appear to be less intoxicated with the same amount of drinks as someone who isn’t as tolerant. This is only a behavioral adaptation, because the liver is still eliminating alcohol at the rate of one drink per hour – being able to “handle your alcohol” does not have any effect on BAC.

Question 12

As a person’s BAC level rises, they will experience different things. This will also vary from individual to individual:

Answer 12

.02 – Relaxed and may have more social confidence
.05 – Areas of the brain that control reasoning and judgement are impaired
.08-.10 – People can longer make responsible decisions, but claim to not be affected
.12 – People become nauseous and vomit
.20 – Emotions are unpredictable and may change rapidly
.30 – People have little or no control over their minds. Most people can’t stay awake.
.40 and up – People are likely to be unconscious/Breathing and HR decrease/People may enter a coma and die

Question 13

FAS (what does it stand for AND what does it mean)–

Answer 13

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and it is the presence of severe birth defects in babies born to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy

Question 14

*What are some common symptoms/signs of FAS?

Answer 14

Low birth weight, facial deformities, heart abnormalities, and other defects.

Question 15

Binge Drinking –

Answer 15

consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time
*How many drinks does it take in an hour for a male to be considered binge drinking? 5 or more
*How many drinks does it take in an hour for a female to be considered binge drinking? 4 or more

Question 16

4. Alcohol Poisoning –

Answer 16

a severe elevation of the BAC that may lead to coma and death, resulting from consumption of large amounts of alcohol.
*Even if a person survives alcohol poisoning, what could still happen as a result of the experience? Permanent brain damage
*What are some common signs of alcohol poisoning? extremely disoriented, unresponsive, or unconscious, with shallow breathing.
*What steps should an individual take if he/she sees signs of alcohol poisoning? Seek medical attention immediately

Question 17

Depressant –

Answer 17

– a drug category (not a specific drug) that slows down the central nervous system by blocking messages trying to get to the brain

Question 18

Cirrhosis –

Answer 18

a disease of the liver caused by chronic damage to the liver cells

Question 19

Hangover –

Answer 19

an aftereffect of using alcohol and other drugs – headache, increased sensitivity to sounds, nausea, vomiting, etc.

Question 20

Blackout –

Answer 20

a period in which a person cannot remember what has happened

Question 21

Hazing Activity –

Answer 21

– an activity in which a person is forced to participate in a dangerous or demanding act to become a member of a club or group

Question 22

10. Denial

Answer 22

refusing to admit that you have a problem

Question 23

11. Withdrawal

Answer 23

the reaction of the body to the sudden stop of a drug that a person is physically dependent on – symptoms include chills, vomiting, painful cramps, “the shakes,” etc.

Question 24

12. Alcoholics Anonymous –

Answer 24

a recovery program for people who have alcoholism

Question 25

13. Al-Anon –

Answer 25

a recovery group for people that have a friend or family member with alcoholism

Question 26

14. Delaware is one of the states that implemented the

Answer 26

the ZERO TOLERANCE LAW. Things that should be addressed: * BAC level- .02 or more Specifies that if a minor has ANY detectable amount of alcohol in his or her system while operating a vehicle in public, the minor has committed the criminal offense of DUI—the minor's driver’s license is immediately suspended, and the officer can take the license on site.