The A B C D E F's of Alcohol
A is for alcohol: 90% of alcohol is metabolized (or broken down) in the liver. A healthy liver can breakdown about one drinks an hour. One drink is:
-12 oz. of beer
-4-5 oz. of wine
-1 oz. of 80 proof liquor
B is for blood alcohol level or content. It is measured as a percentage of concentration of alcohol in the blood. A level of 0.08% is considered to be legally impaired in The United States.
This level varies from country to country. Some countries have a zero tolerance for any level of alcohol in the blood (Estonia, Brazil, Czech Republic, and United Arab Emirates).
C is for coordination and balance. Coordination is becoming difficult at 0.11-0.12 blood alcohol. Reaction time is increased and speech becomes slurred.
D is for death. Alcohol contributes to nearly 100,000 deaths a year in the United States. This includes while driving, alcohol poisoning, and any disease process related to alcohol. Death can when from alcohol poisoning when the blood alcohol level is more than 0.50% (and at even lower levels for those who drink very infrequently).
The symptoms of alcohol poisoning are:
-Seizures
-Breathing slows
-Vomiting
-Confusion, coma, and stupor
-Hypothermia (lowered body temperature)
If you suspect someone you know is showing the signs of alcohol poisoning – CALL 911! Do it immediately. Any delay could result in increased risk of irreversible brain damage.
E is for emergency room. Nearly 8 million visits to the emergency room are related to alcohol in some way. That translates into 8% of all visits to the emergency room.
F is for fetal alcohol syndrome. One out of 750 babies born in the United States has this syndrome. This syndrome results in facial abnormalities, learning difficulties, and even death. Even one drink while pregnant is too much.
Lu Young, RN, holds an advanced degree in nursing. She has worked in the nursing field for more than ten years. She has provided patient educational materials for the last six years. These educational materials are on a variety subjects such as diabetes, nutrition, exercise, and medications. Ms. Young feels that knowledge is not only power, but can set you free of many of the worries and fears that come from ignorance. So by learning all you can about a subject, you will gain the power to take action.
Ms. Young has written a series of articles on nutrition for several online sites. She is working on a book on carbohydrates to be the first in a series of three. The other two topics are on diabetes and exercise and diabetes and medications. So look for these other topics to be coming soon. (The Carbohydrate and Diabetes series are part of a book. If you interested in obtaining a copy email me at: LuYoungRN@yahoo.com.)
Ms. Young owns several Boston Terriers. You can check out her website at http://www.bostonterrierville.com.
- Stay Away From Alcohol Abuse and Get Healthy
- Knowing the Cause – Alcohol
- Alcohol Detox and Getting to Know Your Limits
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Methods
- When Should You Have Alcohol Detox?
- Alcohol Dependency and Alcoholic Liver Disease
- Alcohol Abuse – Do You Have A Problem?
- How to Alcohol Detox After Binge Drinking
- Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and How to Combat It
- What is Outpatient Alcohol Rehab?
