Alcohol Poisoning

By: Lindsey Collier & Ashlin Pemberton

What is Alcohol?O A.K.A Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol. O Yes, it is toxic! O Affect the central nervous system,

which includes the brain.

Quick FactsO The legal limit is 0.08, which means that there are 0.08

grams of pure alcohol for every 100 ml of blood in your body.

O Average removal rate of alcohol is 0.015 BAC (blood alcohol content) per hour. (can vary)

O Alcohol starts circulating in the bloodstream almost immediately after consumption.

O About 90% of alcohol is chemically processed in the liver.

O When metabolized it goes changes to Acetaldehyde (a poison) Acetic acid Carbon dioxide & Water Mixture

O About 5% of ethanol leaves the body unchanged in breath, perspiration, and urine.

Ways to detect Alcohol Content

O Breathalyzer (invented in 1954) – based on the color change when an orange dichromate ion is reduced to green chromium by alcohol.

O Field Sobriety Test- includes walking in a straight line, standing on 1 foot while counting, reciting the alphabet fast, counting from 10 backwards, touching a finger to the nose, nine step heel-to-toe and turn, & observation of eyes (nystagmus-rapid, involuntary jerking of the eyes. To see if they can follow the motion of a pencil moving slowly)

What is Alcohol Poisoning?

O The result of drinking more alcohol than your body can process.

O Can be the result of 5 or more drinks depending on how quickly your body metabolizes it, how much food you have in your body, how strong the drink is, & how quickly you consume the drink.

BAC (g/100 ml of bloodor g/210 l of breath)

Stage Clinical symptoms

0.01 - 0.05 Subclinical Behavior nearly normal by ordinary observation0.03 - 0.12 Euphoria Mild euphoria, sociability, talkativeness, Increased self-

confidence; decreased inhibitions, Diminution of attention, judgment and control, Beginning of sensory-motor impairment, Loss of efficiency in finer performance tests

0.09 - 0.25 Excitement Emotional instability; loss of critical judgment, Impairment of perception, memory and comprehension, Decreased sensatory response; increased reaction time, Reduced visual acuity; peripheral vision and glare recovery, Sensory-motor incoordination; impaired balance, Drowsiness

0.18 - 0.30 Confusion Disorientation, mental confusion; dizziness, Exaggerated emotional states, Disturbances of vision and of perception of color, form, motion and dimensions, Increased pain threshold, Increased muscular incoordination; staggering gait; slurred speech, Apathy, lethargy

0.25 - 0.40 Stupor General inertia; approaching loss of motor functions, Markedly decreased response to stimuli, Marked muscular incoordination; inability to stand or walk, Vomiting; incontinence, Impaired consciousness; sleep or stupor

0.35 - 0.50 Coma Complete unconsciousness, Depressed or abolished reflexesSubnormal body temperature, Incontinence, Impairment of circulation and respiration, Possible death

0.45 + Death Death from respiratory arrest

Work CitedO http://

www.intox.com/t-Physiology.aspxO http://

www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m2015.htm

O http://www.whatisalcoholpoisoning.com/

Our Case Studies…

Jacqui Saburido: The Victim

O Jacqui Saburido was born and grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. She was going to school to become an industrial engineer in order to help her father run his air conditioning factory. She had been at a private language school learning to speak English in Austin, Texas for less than a month when the crash occurred that nearly killed her.

Reggie Stephey: The Driver

O Reggie Stephey was a senior at Lake Travis High School outside of Austin. He dreamed of going to college on a football scholarship. On September 19, 1999, Reggie had been drinking with friends and made the bad choice of deciding to drive home.

The Collision

The Aftermath

Gary Devercelly

The IncidentO Gary DeVercelly Jr., an 18-year-old freshman from

Long Beach, Calif., died after drinking most of a bottle of Absolut Citron vodka during a March 2007 PKT initiation ritual called “Big Little Night.” was a student at Rider University The night of March 28-29, 2007, DeVercelly was at the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.

O Police were summoned at 1:52 a.m. on the 29th on a report that students were "vomiting from drinking alcohol." DeVercelly and another student, William Williams, were transported to the hospital. Williams was treated and released; DeVercelly died on March 30.

O http://www.facesofdrunkdriving.com/#2

O http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2007/04/devercelly_18_a.html

O http://www.hanknuwer.com/blog/?s=evercelly