Visual signs of alcohol intoxication for the act. Signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Offense act: why is drunkenness punished?
Alcohol intoxication is a transient condition that develops after drinking alcohol. It is provoked by the psychoactive effect of ethanol and is a comprehensive symptom complex of altered physiological, mental and neurological reactions.
Alcohol intoxication causes changes in human behavioral functions
The intoxicating effect of alcohol is realized through stimulation of the underlying structures of the central nervous system under conditions of inhibition of the higher centers of the cerebral cortex. Stimulation of the peripheral nervous system is also of certain importance.
After drinking alcohol, its maximum concentration in the blood is determined by the end of the 2nd hour; the degree of intoxication depends not only on the amount of drink taken, but also on the speed of its consumption. The same volume of alcohol, drunk over a different period of time, has a different effect on the body: in an adult middle-aged man without concomitant pathology of the excretory organs, 200 ml of anhydrous alcohol drunk over 4–5 hours will cause persistent intoxication, in 1– 2 hours – acute poisoning.
Alcohol selectively accumulates in brain tissue, where its concentration is 75% higher than in the bloodstream. Normally, within an hour, a healthy liver inactivates approximately 10 ml of alcohol in terms of anhydrous alcohol.
Mortality caused by alcohol consumption, according to average data from the World Health Organization, is 6.3% in men and 1.1% in women. The highest mortality rate is observed in Eastern European countries: for example, from 1990 to 2001, more than half of Russian males aged 15–54 years died from causes directly related to alcohol abuse (including pneumonia, tuberculosis, toxic damage to the liver, kidneys, injuries ).
Synonym: alcohol intoxication.
When physical and mental dependence on ethanol occurs, chronic alcohol intoxication develops - alcoholism.
Causes
The cause of alcohol intoxication is alcohol consumption.
The severity of intoxication directly depends on many factors: gender, age, weight of a person, connection with food intake, genetically determined characteristics (for example, the activity of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, the body’s tolerance), the amount of alcohol drunk per unit of time, its type, quality and strength .
Forms and degrees
Alcohol intoxication is classified by severity and form.
According to the degree (according to the alcohol content in the systemic bloodstream, indicated in ppm), intoxication is divided into the following types:
- Less than 0.3‰ – no effect of alcohol on the body.
- From 0.3 to 0.5‰ – insignificant influence of alcohol.
- From 0.5 to 1.5‰ – mild intoxication.
- From 1.5 to 2.5‰ – moderate intoxication.
- From 2.5 to 3.0‰ – severe intoxication.
- From 3.0 to 5.0‰ – alcohol poisoning, possible death.
- More than 5.0‰ (according to some sources – 6.0‰) – poisoning incompatible with life.
The degree of intoxication depends not only on the amount of drink taken, but also on the speed of its consumption.
Alcohol intoxication comes in the following forms:
- Simple intoxication.
- Altered simple intoxication (dysphoric, hebephrenic, paranoid and hysterical variants).
In the presence of predisposing factors, the development of acute transient psychosis, which occurs in the form of twilight stupefaction (sudden switching off of consciousness with deep disorientation), is possible.
This condition is designated as pathological intoxication, its forms:
- Epileptoid.
- Paranoid (hallucinatory-paranoid).
Signs
Depending on the dose, routes of entry into the body, individual hereditary characteristics of the body, as well as the body’s tolerance to toxic doses of ethanol, the manifestations of various psychophysiological effects and the degree of their severity can vary significantly.
Mild alcohol intoxication
A mild degree of intoxication has the following signs:
- decreased accuracy of small movements that require increased concentration;
- absent-mindedness (easily switching, distractibility);
- slight change in speech;
- complacent mood, state of psychological comfort;
- weakening of self-criticism and critical attitude towards others;
- lively, expressive behavior, slight agitation;
- disinhibition of drives (food, sexual);
- hyperemia of the skin;
- tachycardia, increased blood pressure;
- increased sweating.
Normally, within an hour, a healthy liver inactivates approximately 10 ml of alcohol in terms of anhydrous alcohol.
Mild alcohol intoxication usually lasts from several minutes to several hours. After neutralization of intoxication, some decline in mood, lethargy, and slight motor retardation are noted. There are no negative consequences, memories of the state of intoxication are not distorted and are preserved in full.
Moderate alcohol intoxication
Moderate intoxication is characterized by the following:
- lack of coordination of movements (sweeping, carelessness);
- speech features (blurred speech, slow speech, deliberately correct articulation);
- uncertain, jerky, shaky gait;
- partial disorientation in time and place;
- fragmentation of mental experiences;
- difficulty perceiving and assessing what is happening;
- a sharp decrease in criticism of one’s own condition and behavior;
- impulsiveness and unreasonable actions;
- a sharp change in mood - from complacency to aggressive irritability, a melancholy-angry state;
- depressively colored emotional reactions.
Such intoxication, as a rule, ends in deep sleep with a pronounced post-intoxication state after waking up (manifested by lethargy, nausea, headache, and a feeling of weakness). Some events that took place while intoxicated (usually the final episodes) fall out of memory.
Severe alcohol intoxication
Severe alcohol intoxication is characterized by the predominance in the clinical picture of the following toxic effects of alcohol and phenomena of depression of the central nervous system:
- depression of consciousness;
- complete disorientation;
- sometimes involuntary defecation, urination;
- loss of connection between mental experiences;
- lethargy, incoherent speech, long pauses between words;
- nausea, vomiting;
- lack of facial expressions;
- instability of posture;
- pronounced cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes;
- cold extremities;
- low availability or complete inaccessibility to contact;
- tachycardia, hypotension;
- weak pupil reaction to light;
- rare hoarse breathing.
In extremely severe cases, an alcoholic coma develops with no signs of mental activity or reaction to stimuli.
Severe intoxication and alcoholic coma are absolute indications for emergency medical care.
After leaving the state of intoxication, severe post-intoxication disorders are observed, loss of ability to work for several days, and inability to remember the events that took place.
Altered forms of simple alcohol intoxication
Altered forms of simple intoxication also have characteristic features:
- Dysphoric variant. There is no stage of euphoria and elevated mood. Characterized by a gloomy mood with irritability, anger and conflict, a tendency to aggression.
- Paranoid option. It manifests itself as increased suspicion, touchiness and pickiness. The words and actions of others are regarded as attempts to offend and humiliate the interlocutor, and malicious intent is seen in everyday actions.
- Hebephrenic intoxication. It is manifested by foolishness, mocking, clownish mood and actions.
- Intoxication with hysterical features. It is characterized by theatricality of actions, exaggerated sorrowful experiences, a tendency to demonstrative, exalted actions or deliberate suicidal attempts, the purpose of which is to attract attention.
Pathological alcohol intoxication
Pathological intoxication begins suddenly, manifests itself as unmotivated emotional outbursts with delirium, expressed fear, anxiety, uncontrollable motor and speech agitation, often with aggressive actions towards oneself and others. Pathological intoxication ends with sleep as suddenly as it begins; after awakening, amnesia develops or vague, fragmented memories are retained. Such intoxication comes in the following forms:
- Epileptoid. It is characterized by sudden disorientation in time and place, loss of contact with reality, sudden agitation (intense, meaningless, chaotic actions), malice, affects of fear and anger.
- Paranoid (hallucinatory-paranoid). It manifests itself as sudden onset delirium, loss of contact with reality, suspicion, and wariness. Victims may perform complex actions, their behavior reflecting a distorted perception of the environment. Speech is fragmentary (in the form of individual words or phrases).
Diagnostics
The main diagnostic criterion for alcohol intoxication is the strong odor of alcohol from the breath.
Mortality caused by alcohol consumption, according to average data from the World Health Organization, is 6.3% in men and 1.1% in women.
For differential diagnosis of simple intoxication with its altered or pathological forms, as well as intoxication with other (including narcotic) substances, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies:
- collection of anamnestic data (information about previous abuse, neuropsychiatric diseases, traumatic brain injuries, possible alcohol intake, specifying the amount and strength of the drink);
- general examination;
- laboratory determination of ethanol concentration in the blood;
- urine analysis for the presence of traces of narcotic substances and their metabolites;
- immunochromatographic test for the presence of alcohol in saliva;
- Rappoport reaction (discoloration of a pink 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate with the addition of drops of sulfuric acid when blowing);
- Mokhov-Shinkarenko reaction (change in the color of the reagent from yellow to green or blue when blown into special glass indicator tubes containing fine-grained silica gel treated with chromic anhydride and sulfuric acid).
Consultation with specialists (neurologist, narcologist, psychiatrist) is also required.
Treatment
Mild intoxication does not require treatment. In cases of moderate intoxication, the need for therapeutic measures is determined by changes in the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Severe intoxication and alcoholic coma are an absolute indication for emergency medical care, which consists of the following:
- gastric lavage;
- taking enterosorbents;
- detoxification therapy;
- if necessary, drugs to stimulate cardiac and respiratory activity;
- for hypertension, tachycardia - beta-blockers;
- parenteral administration of oxidizing agents.
Prevention
The main preventive measure for the development of alcohol intoxication, which entails a sharp deterioration in well-being, is to avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, on an empty stomach.
Consequences and complications
The consequences of alcohol intoxication are not as harmless as is commonly believed. Among them:
- development of chronic alcoholism;
- acute alcohol poisoning;
- toxic hepatitis;
- acute liver failure;
- acute renal failure;
- acute pancreatitis;
- delirium tremens (“delirium tremens”);
- alcoholic coma;
- pathological intoxication;
- alcoholic psychosis;
- alcoholic polyneuropathy;
- epileptic syndrome;
- alcoholic encephalopathy.
Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:
People who drink alcohol in small quantities are often mistaken about how long it takes for the alcohol to wear off. It seems that all you have to do is sleep well at night, have a hearty breakfast the next morning - and no problems. But it's not that simple. In some cases, ethyl remains in the blood for a long time. And those people who plan to drive in the near future after drinking should remember this.
It is interesting that a person can feel completely sober, the signs of a hangover do not bother him, his condition is stable, but alcohol still remains in the blood.
The exact concentration of alcohol in the blood can be determined through laboratory tests, but even standard testers can detect residual derivatives of alcohol-containing products. The concentration of ethyl in the blood in the range of 0.3-0.6 ppm is completely imperceptible to humans. But this is enough to lose your driver's license. Therefore, you should not take risks by getting behind the wheel the morning after a party. It is better to purchase an autonomous breathalyzer for private use, which will allow you to monitor changes in intoxication if there are no external manifestations.
Interestingly, the effect of alcohol-containing products on the human body is not clear. Clarity of thought comes faster than alcohol fumes dissipate. In the lungs and... Moreover, seemingly harmless products can lead to an increase in alcohol concentration: kvass, non-alcoholic beer, kefir. Everything is determined by the dosage of these drinks, the individual characteristics of the body and the interval between taking alcoholic beverages and substances that increase the level of ethanol in the blood.
If a person needs to take tests or drive, it is better not to drink at all 24 hours before the planned event. The accuracy of laboratory tests is higher than the results of mobile testers, so residues of alcohol-containing products are highly likely to be detected in the blood if insufficient time has passed. The rate of alcohol utilization depends on the strength of the drink and its sweetness. Wines intoxicate you faster, but they also linger less in the body. Vodka and cognac can be processed for a long period.
How quickly do the symptoms of intoxication disappear?
It is clear that the more you drank the day before, the longer the intoxication lasts. Excessively strong alcohol has a negative effect on the functioning of the digestive system, as a result of which the process of assimilation of the drink is inhibited. If you eat fatty foods before drinking, you can delay the processing of ethyl for several hours. On the one hand, this benefits those who plan to spend longer in a friendly company without getting drunk. On the other hand, the process of recycling ethyl derivatives will take a longer time.
Women retain alcohol in their blood longer than men. Representatives of the fair sex get drunk faster, take longer to recover from drinking, and their hangover is more severe. Thin people experience more severe intoxication than overweight people. Mature people process alcohol faster than older people or teenagers.
A person, even feeling completely sober, may experience discomfort associated with previous drinking of alcohol. This is expressed in an unpleasant body odor, general weakness, and decreased concentration. All these symptoms indicate that the body has not had time to completely get rid of alcohol.
This is why it is important to recover from a hangover naturally. It is contraindicated to get hung up on alcohol, even in minimal doses.
The duration of alcohol removal from the blood can be increased if a person periodically drinks alcohol. Then the body does not have time to completely free itself from ethanol derivatives and accumulates toxins. This phenomenon is often observed in chronic alcoholics. If alcohol dependence is suspected, it is necessary to start taking medications that promote the formation of alcohol resistance. You can order a drug of this kind without publicity on the Internet.
Beer, wine and weak cocktails really disappear quickly, and after a long sleep and a good snack, not a trace remains of them. If the diet included strong drinks, then it is better to play it safe and not get behind the wheel earlier than a day after an alcoholic party.
How to speed up the elimination of alcohol from the body
Let's say a person urgently needs to get himself in order. Of course, it will not be possible to quickly remove alcohol from the body, but reducing its concentration or eliminating the residual phenomenon of alcohol intoxication is quite possible.
There are several recipes for quick sobering up:
- replenishment of water deficiency - the more fluid enters the body, the lower the concentration of ethyl in the blood. True, we should not forget about diuretics. If you do not take them, swelling will quickly develop. Herbal preparations that stimulate kidney function and do not harm health will help out;
- fortification - ascorbic and succinic acid help accelerate the utilization of acetaldehyde, a derivative component of alcohol. The next morning after drinking alcohol, you should drink citrus juices, rosehip decoction, and complex vitamins;
- contrast shower – refreshes, tones, improves vascular function and washes away toxins and impurities on the surface of the skin. If a contrast shower is unacceptable, then you can simply wash yourself in cool water, but you should not take a steam bath after drinking alcohol. This can be harmful to health;
- Walking in the fresh air saturates the blood with oxygen and speeds up metabolic processes. Light exercise in the form of a walk will be an excellent aerobic workout that will help you quickly recover from a hangover;
- Sound sleep is the best remedy for overdoing it with alcohol. If there is nowhere to rush in the morning, then it is better to sleep longer to eliminate alcohol intoxication and the consequences of intoxication.
It is extremely undesirable to drink tonic drinks, which include coffee, energy drinks, and strong tea. Anti-hangover drugs work well, but drugs like “Antipolitsay” do not relieve hangover syndrome, but mask its symptoms. They do not affect the level of ethanol in the blood and do not relieve the consequences of previous alcohol intoxication.
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Many of us, especially novice drivers, would like to understand what ppm of alcohol in the blood is and have a table on hand to determine the alcohol content in the body.
What is ppm
ppm(note - not "promil", as many people write) - this is one thousandth, used to indicate the number of thousandths of something in general. The concentration of alcohol in the blood is also measured in ppm - that is, the concentration of ethanol in it. For those who drive vehicles or work with machinery, it is especially important to know how ppm of alcohol in the blood is determined.
An indicator of 0.3 ppm of alcohol in the blood indicates that in one liter of fluid contained in the body, there is 0.3 g of alcohol. This is the so-called “endogenous”, natural level of alcohol, not provoked by its direct consumption.
Alcohol reaches its maximum concentration in the blood half an hour after drinking alcohol. The concentration of ethanol in the blood at a certain point in time, expressed in ppm, allows:
- calculate alcohol content at any given time;
- determine the volume of a particular drink required to achieve a given concentration;
- calculate the time it takes to remove alcohol from the body.
The last point is especially important for drivers. In Russia, there is no “acceptable level” of ethanol concentration in the blood for drivers of vehicles - that is, driving after drinking any alcoholic beverages, regardless of the amount drunk, is prohibited. Therefore, if you drink a “warming” drink, you should wait until the alcohol is completely removed from the body. The liver is responsible for this process. Typically, about 0.15 ppm is excreted from the male body in an hour and about 0.12 from the female body.
How to independently determine the degree of intoxication
- a person's body weight and gender
- percentage of body fluid in relation to total weight
- volume of drink consumed and alcohol content in it
Example:
Consider the case of a young man weighing 77 kg after drinking 250 ml of vodka containing 40% alcohol.
- Let's calculate the weight of fluid in the body, it is about 70% in the male body: 77 kg X 70% = 53.9 kg
- Let's determine the content of pure ethanol in the drink. For this:
250 ml X 40% = 100 ml of pure alcohol, which in grams will be
100 ml X 0.79 g/ml (density of ethyl alcohol) = 79 g of pure alcohol
79 g – 10% (standard error due to many factors) = 71.1 g pure ethanol - Let's calculate the ppm of alcohol in the blood: 71.1 g / 53.9 kg = 1.32 ppm
Or you can use our calculator.
Online alcohol calculator for calculating ppm of alcohol in the blood
* For calculations, it is assumed that alcohol was drunk within a short period of time (no more than 1 hour). Calculations have a certain error, since they depend on several hundred more factors.
Table of ppm blood alcohol and the corresponding degree of intoxication
Thus, our young man is in a state of mild intoxication.
Alcometers
To accurately determine the concentration of ethanol in the blood, it is used breathalyzer- a special device that measures the alcohol content in ppm in exhaled air. Today, all kinds of personal breathalyzers are available for free sale, with the help of which everyone can independently monitor the ppm level in the blood in order to avoid problems on the road.
Remember!
Drunk driving not only threatens to violate the law, but can also lead to irreparable tragedy!
Note!
It is correct to say “ppm” and not “ppm” or “ppm”!
www.chto-kak-skolko.ru
Time of action on the body after drinking alcohol.
Does the degree and speed of intoxication depend on the type of alcoholic drink? The degree of intoxication depends, firstly, on the dose of alcohol consumed, and secondly, on the strength of the alcoholic drink. When it comes to the quantity of alcohol consumed, one cannot fail to take into account its quality. For example, carbon dioxide promotes the absorption of alcohol into the blood. Therefore, the speed and degree of intoxication when consuming an alcoholic drink containing carbon dioxide or mixed with carbonated drinks is faster and greater than when consuming regular mono alcohol.
Alcohol is absorbed most quickly from alcoholic drinks containing up to 10% alcohol, i.e. primarily from wine, and comparatively slower from drinks with lower or higher alcohol concentration. A very common belief is that the alcohol content in beer is insignificant and therefore you can drink it even while driving. To refute this, it is enough to know that 1 liter of beer contains the same amount of alcohol as 400 g of wine or 100 g of vodka. Moreover, this beer can have a more detrimental effect on the body than 100 g of vodka. Alcohol consumed in high doses causes irreparable harm to the body.
Does diluting a strong alcoholic drink with water or juice prevent alcohol intoxication?
No, consuming a dose of mixed alcoholic beverage with water does not reduce the effects of alcohol on the body. Regardless of what is mixed with an alcoholic drink, the amount of alcohol in it remains the same, which means the effect on the body and brain remains the same.
Is it possible to avoid alcohol intoxication if you eat well before taking a dose of alcohol?
After consuming a dose, alcohol dissolves in the blood without the participation of the digestive organs. A full stomach slows down the rate of dissolution of alcohol in the blood and its effect on the body; alcohol intoxication will occur anyway, only a little later and perhaps more abruptly.
What determines the degree of alcohol intoxication?
On the one hand, it depends on the amount of alcoholic beverages consumed and the alcohol content in them, and on the other hand, on the characteristics of the human body while driving. The characteristics of the body include body weight, emotional and moral state of the driver. In addition to these factors, it is necessary to take into account how much time has passed since consuming a dose of alcohol. The body of a more massive person also contains more water. Therefore, with the same dose of alcohol consumed, the amount of alcohol content will be greater in someone who has less body weight.
Is it possible to influence the process of removing alcohol from the blood?
Only time really influences the removal of alcohol from the blood and human body. The body and blood are freed from the dose of alcohol taken by its oxidation and subsequent elimination. The liver removes about 90% of the alcohol that enters the body. A small amount of alcohol is excreted through the lungs, sweat glands, and kidneys. It takes time to remove a dose of alcohol. Therefore, none of these methods, such as a cold shower, a walk in the fresh air, or a cup of strong black coffee or tea, speeds up the process of removing a dose of alcohol from the body.
When can you drive without breaking traffic rules?
If you have been drinking, you will have to wait a while to drive so as not to be penalized for violating traffic rules. The table of norms for the consumption and removal of alcohol from the blood and body, which contains average data on the time of this process, will tell you how long to wait. It should be noted that consumption in a bad mood (or state) can increase the indicated values by almost 2 times. Therefore, just in case, give yourself a few extra hours in reserve to equalize your blood alcohol level.
How does alcohol affect the reaction?
At 0.2 - 0.5 ppm it is already difficult to estimate at what speed the light sources are moving and their size.
At 0.5 - 0.8 ppm (1 liter of beer or 150 ml of vodka), the eyes switch more slowly to different types of lighting and perceive red color worse.
A larger amount of alcohol in the blood narrows the angle of vision, and the driver generally ceases to see what is happening on the sides.
A dose of 1.2 ppm (2.5 liters of beer or 400 ml of vodka), as a rule, leads to a complete loss of ability to drive a car.
Blood levels of 4-5 ppm are officially considered lethal.
Alcohol consumption and elimination table
The period of complete elimination of alcohol from the body in hours.
Volume 100 grams
Volume 300 grams
Volume 500 grams
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www.rul.by
The first and second tables indicate how much time the driver will need to be able to drive; namely, what amount of ppm remains in the driver’s body after a certain period of time. For example, in the first column, immediately after a person drinks 100 grams, there will be 1.02 ppm of alcohol in his body; after 15 minutes - 0.47 ppm, etc. The red color indicates the amount of ppm allowed for movement in the body, and the “zeros” indicate how long it takes for alcohol to completely leave the body. The ratio is relative, since the results are influenced by many factors, such as age, weight, what the driver ate while drinking, etc.
The following table shows substances and medications that can change the driver's general condition while driving. As well as a list of medications that are not recommended to be taken while driving.
Alcohol intoxication is a combination of mental, autonomic and neurological disorders that occur as a result of drinking alcohol. In certain doses, alcohol relieves mental stress, improves mood, and creates a feeling of freedom and fun. These sensations are temporary and, as the dose of alcohol increases, they are replaced by a state of excitement with loss of self-control, aggressiveness, or a depressed and depressed mood.
The speed at which the first signs of alcohol intoxication appear depends on the strength of the drink and the degree to which the stomach is filled with food.
The degree of intoxication is determined by the amount of alcohol taken per 1 kg of weight, individual tolerance and the state of the body while drinking alcohol. If you are tired or exhausted, even small doses of alcohol can cause severe intoxication. In a state of mental stress, the intoxicating effect of alcoholic beverages is reduced.
There are three stages of alcohol intoxication:
Mild alcohol intoxication (0.5 - 1.5 ‰ blood alcohol). Characterized by uplifting mood, complacency, a feeling of comfort, and a desire for communication. At the same time, the ability to concentrate attention decreases, judgments become frivolous, and one’s own capabilities are overestimated. Troubles that arise in this state are often perceived more calmly and simply. People who are slightly intoxicated often look even calmer than sober people in stressful situations. The volume and quality of work performed decreases, and the number of errors increases. The perception of time and space is disrupted, so alcohol intoxication is especially dangerous when working on transport and with moving mechanisms. Memories of the entire period of intoxication are fully preserved.
Moderate intoxication (1.5 - 2.5 ‰ blood alcohol). At this stage of alcohol intoxication, irritability, dissatisfaction, dissatisfaction, and anger often appear. Possibly aggressive behavior. Out-of-control experiences easily arise (overestimation of one’s capabilities, resentment and reproaches towards others). Loss of coordination of movements increases, drowsiness and lethargy gradually develop. Moderate intoxication is usually replaced by deep sleep. Upon awakening, the consequences of alcohol intoxication are felt: weakness, lethargy, fatigue, depressed mood, thirst, decreased or lack of appetite, discomfort in the heart area. Some events that occurred during the period of intoxication may not be clearly remembered.
Severe alcohol intoxication (2.5 - 3 ‰ blood alcohol). Accompanied by a violation of orientation in the environment, speech slows down, facial expressions are lost. Vestibular disorders are noted: dizziness, nausea, vomiting. With increasing intoxication, impairment of consciousness increases, up to the development of coma, breathing slows down, the tone of the cardiovascular system decreases, immobility and muscle relaxation develop. Sometimes there are seizures. As a result of paralysis of the respiratory or vasomotor center, death can occur. Subsequently, asthenia, anorexia and night sleep disorders are observed for several days. Severe alcohol intoxication is accompanied by complete amnesia.
When the blood alcohol content increases to 3 - 5 ‰, severe poisoning develops with a possible fatal outcome, requiring emergency toxicological assistance.
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Permissible alcohol limit while driving in ppm
In 2010-2013, in the legislation of the Russian Federation, only zero ppm content was considered the norm, that is, there should be a complete absence of alcohol in the blood and exhaled air. The situation has changed.
On July 23, 2013, the law abolishing the zero ppm when checking motorists came into force. In accordance with the amendment to the Code of Administrative Offenses in the Russian Federation and the Traffic Rules, The norm for ppm content is 0.16 in exhaled air and 0.35 alcohol in the blood.
The reason for the changes in the law was the following:
Products that show ppm when tested with a device include:
- chocolate candies;
- nonalcoholic beer;
- kvass;
- curdled milk, kefir and yogurt;
- oranges;
- warm juices;
- sandwiches made from black bread and sausage;
- cigarettes;
- overripe bananas;
- mouth freshener;
- some medications.
The listed products contain a certain small amount of alcohol, which dissipates after a period of time. Until 2013, a driver who drank a glass of kefir before driving on the road risked receiving a fine for the content of ppm and even deprivation of his license for a period of 1.5 to 2 years.
Promille is a value that determines the degree of intoxication. 0.2 ppm contains 0.09 mg of alcohol per 1 liter.
Generally accepted degrees of intoxication:
- Initial stage (0.8-1.2 ppm). The angle of lateral vision is limited and the perception of distance changes. The effect of temporary blindness appears when switching low beam to high beam headlights.
- Deep automobile intoxication (1.3-2.4 ppm). The activity of the organs of vision and concentration of attention deteriorate, and the feeling of fear atrophies.
- Acute intoxication of the body (4-5 ppm). Loss of consciousness and coma.
Alcohol dissipates over a long period of time, so it is not difficult for road service employees to detect its presence.
Types of penalties for drivers
If it is established that the permissible ppm level has been exceeded, the motorist may face the following fines and liability:
- If this violation is recorded for the driver for the first time, he will have to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles and forget about driving for 1.5-2 years. The same punishment awaits drivers who refuse a medical examination.
- If the rules are violated again, the driver will be fined 50,000 rubles and deprived of the right to drive a vehicle for 3 years.
- If a person has a fine for drunk driving and is found to have been driving while intoxicated, the person faces up to 15 days in prison.
In the near future, it is possible that penalties for drivers who drive after drinking alcohol will be tightened.
Time to remove alcohol from the body
It is important to know how many ppm the alcohol you drink contains and how quickly it disappears.
The amount of ppm after drinking alcohol depends on the following characteristics:
- alcohol content of the drink;
- volume of drink consumed;
- person's weight;
- brand of alcohol.
For example, if a person weighing 60 kg takes 0.5 liters of beer with an alcohol content of 6%, the ppm level will be about 1.07, which is no longer the norm, and driving in this state is prohibited.
After a certain period of time, the alcohol content in the body decreases. Already 10 minutes after drinking alcohol, the indicators will exceed the norm; after 30 minutes, the alcohol in ppm will reach its highest concentration and will dissipate in a few hours - from 3 to 22, depending on the strength of the drink and the amount drunk.
To calculate the ppm level in the morning after drinking alcoholic beverages, it is important to know that in women about 0.10 ppm is removed in 1 hour, in men - from 0.10 to 0.15.
However, for each person this time is different due to the individual characteristics of organisms, including due to differences in metabolic rate.
On average, one bottle of beer disappears in 6 hours, but this does not guarantee 100% normal readings on a breathalyzer when tested, since traffic police officers’ devices react even to vapors accumulated in the lungs. Deputies of the State Duma even asked various types of media not to publish tables with calculations to determine the amount of alcohol allowed while driving.
ppm in various drinks
There is little ppm in non-alcoholic beer, after one bottle it is approximately 0.2 ppm.
So that in the morning after drinking the machine shows the norm by determining the ppm, in the evening it is permissible to drink alcohol in approximately the following volume (per 80 kg of body weight):
- For men, 240 ml of weak beer, 25 ml of vodka or 50 ml of wine.
- For women, 200 ml of beer, 20 ml of vodka or 40 ml of wine.
After drinking kvass in the amount of 1 jar, you need to wait a while before going on the road. Otherwise, when stopped by traffic police officers, a special device can show up to 0.4 ppm, which will be a reason to send the driver for a more detailed medical examination.
Modern breathalyzers are highly sensitive. If you do not want to lose your license or pay a fine, or put your life and the lives of others in danger, avoid drinking alcohol before making a trip. Remember that a drunk driver has a sluggish reaction and loses touch with reality.
auto-lawyer.org
What are the dangers of driving with a hangover?
We understand the nuances of examining “hungover” drivers
True story: after last year on March 8, an acquaintance got behind the wheel. Stopped. The breathalyzer showed 0.17 mg/l. The driver demanded a medical examination in the hope of sobering up, but the doctor’s breathalyzer showed 0.171 mg/l. The result? The license will be returned next summer after retaking the theoretical exam...
Myths and truths about residual intoxication
The first myth is that after a good sleep a person becomes sober by default. Yes, a rested person usually feels better, but there is an important nuance that narcologists told us about. During sleep, a person’s metabolism slows down, as well as the rate of breakdown of alcohol in the muscles, as a result, sleep itself only slows down the sobering up process.
It is clear that you need to sleep - violence against the body, weakened by alcohol, can end badly. But hoping that sleep will nullify any intoxication is naive.
Myth two - residual intoxication will quickly disappear. Many, like the driver in the first paragraph, hope to get in shape while they are being taken for a medical examination. They say that they are already almost sober, and after a couple of hours...
In the city and its surroundings, delivery of a driver to a medical facility usually takes 20-40 minutes. But residual alcohol can “live” in a person for hours. Taking a glass of champagne, you can reach a peak intoxication of, say, 0.17 mg/l, which will fade away after half an hour. But if the breathalyzer shows the same 0.17 mg/l the morning after drinking strong alcohol, the “zeroing” period may be delayed.
Will a hangover deprive you of your rights?
Narcologists say that the popular understanding of the word hangover and the scientific one differ. Doctors use the term withdrawal syndrome - a condition in which a person feels unwell and requires new doses of alcohol to relieve symptoms of intoxication. This condition is inextricably linked with alcoholism of varying degrees and, naturally, excludes experiments with driving.
What if a person drinks rarely and just had too much the night before? Dizziness, headache, difficulty concentrating, hand tremors... Even if you don’t have a breathalyzer at hand, rest assured, you can’t drive in this state. Firstly, residual alcohol almost certainly remains in the blood, and secondly, driving in itself in a painful or tired state is prohibited by the same clause 2.7 of the traffic rules, which also excludes drunken driving.
To begin the examination procedure, the traffic police officer must identify one of the signs of intoxication in the driver, which includes the smell of alcohol on the breath, unsteady posture and unsteadiness of gait, speech impairment, and a sharp change in the color of the skin of the face. Accordingly, with a hangover (in the popular interpretation), these symptoms will be quite obvious, which threatens, at a minimum, increased attention from the traffic police officer to your person.
Folk anti-hangover remedies, from brine to special preparations, can relieve swelling and restore the ionic balance of the body, but do not help reduce the level of alcohol in the blood and exhaled air. The mere fact of improved well-being is not identical to sobering up, because traffic police officers and doctors still have a breathalyzer as their main monitoring tool.
So when can you start driving?
At this point you need a table in which the time of sobering up is linked to the amount of alcohol taken, weight, and gender of the driver. But narcologists are adamant: the tables lie. The absorption and especially the removal of alcohol from the body is an individual process, and depends not only on the “specifications” of the person himself, but also on his current state: fatigue, physical passivity, health problems - all this can change the speed of sobriety and very significantly.
The peak concentration of alcohol in a person’s blood usually occurs half an hour to an hour after taking the appropriate dose, and this time is relatively stable and predictable. Alcohol is excreted through breathing and physiological fluids, and in addition, it is “liquidated” in human muscles during their work. There are dozens of factors that affect the rate of elimination, and many of them are variable.
In one of the alcohol tests we conducted, the test subjects drank 500 ml of a low-alcohol drink. They were close in weight and age, and the peaks of intoxication differed, but only slightly - 0.12 mg/l versus 0.15 mg/l. However, the time for complete zeroing was 2.5 and 3.5 hours, that is, they differed by an hour! What forecasts can be made here?
If you don’t have a breathalyzer at hand, choose a travel time with a guaranteed reserve. Better yet, call a taxi. Even better - don’t drink or do alcoholism coding according to Dovzhenko.
Is it worth the risk?
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Alcohol intoxication
Even for a person who does not drink alcohol, a breathalyzer can show up to 0.09 ppm on the exhale. According to narcologists, this is possible. It’s another matter when the indicator is accompanied by external signs of a hangover, such as fumes, tremors, slurred speech and inappropriate behavior.
To assess the degree of intoxication, an examination of the presence of alcohol in the blood is prescribed after drinking an alcoholic drink.
There are several stages of alcohol intoxication:
An indicator up to 0.4 ppm inclusive indicates that there is no effect of ethyl alcohol on the body.
At 0.5-0.6 ppm - the stage of mild intoxication. Speech activity, slight euphoria and a feeling of tranquility are observed, which is replaced in a drunk person at 0.3 to 0.5 units by impaired concentration and vision.
How soon can you start driving? — Online calculator
Below 2 ppm is expressed by emotional instability, attacks of anger or excessive joy, slurred speech and impaired coordination of movements.
Severe alcohol poisoning occurs up to 3 ppm inclusive. Motor activity changes noticeably, stupor alternates with indifference to the environment, loss of consciousness is possible. Breathing is rapid, control over urination and behavior is absent.
The dose of alcohol corresponding to lethal danger is 3, 4 or higher units. Damage to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, unconsciousness, death.
Amount of vodka consumed in ppm
Consumers pay special attention to strong alcohol, its affordable price and long-lasting effect are superior to other alcoholic drinks.
After 1 drink, there will be about 1 ppm in the blood. After 15 minutes, this amount will decrease to 0.63 ppm. Half an hour is enough for your blood alcohol level to reach 0.44.
A different picture is observed after the first two glasses or 100 grams of vodka drunk, as indicated by 1.04 units. After 15 minutes of waiting there is a decrease to 0.67, and after another 30 minutes - to 0.55. It will take about 1.5 hours for the blood alcohol level to reach 0.49. And even 2 hours will not remove ethyl alcohol. The amount of alcohol will reach 0.42.
Many people are interested in, but if you drink a bottle of vodka, it will show how many ppm. Self-consumption of 0.33 liters of ethyl alcohol even after 12 hours will determine an unacceptable amount of 0.38 ppm.
A 0.5 liter bottle of vodka will reach 0.68 during the same time. It will take from 15 to 19 hours to completely cleanse the body.
How many ppm will the beer show?
Not inferior in popularity to strong vodka is the intoxicating alcoholic drink. If we talk about how many ppm 0.5 liters or a bottle of beer contains, then its amount will show 1.10 immediately after consumption. After half an hour it will drop by half. It will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes to completely remove this dose.
After a liter of beer, the alcohol content will be 1.23. Half an hour will reduce the ethyl alcohol content in the blood to 0.57. After 60 minutes, 0.52 units can be determined.
After 2 hours from the last use, this number will reach 0.46. And even after 3 hours of waiting, the breathalyzer will show 0.34 after beer. Only after 4 hours will the blood be completely cleared.
You can speed up the process of removing ethanol from the body if you consider that on an empty stomach you can lose only a tenth of the alcohol in an hour. A full stomach helps eliminate 50% of the drink.
How to calculate the number of ppm in the blood
You should not particularly trust and rely on sources such as a table indicating the number of ppm, especially on the eve of taking a blood test for the presence of alcohol. The data will be reliable in a healthy person who has consumed one, and not many types of alcoholic beverages.
It is necessary to take into account the regularity and duration of administration. In order not to be mistaken about how much alcohol you can drink, it is better to calculate the amount yourself.
We determine the permissible norm of ppm in the blood using the formula developed by Eric Widmark, where “c” is the alcohol concentration, “A” is the grams of alcohol, and “m” is the person’s weight. The “r” value for women is 0.6, for men - 0.7 ppm.
C=A/(m×r)
For example, if a man weighing 60 kg drank 100 grams of vodka the day before, then the alcohol concentration in his blood will be 0.42 ppm.
In order to find out what the permissible alcohol limit is suitable for an individual, another equation is used:
A = c × m × r2
Thanks to this formula, it is easy to find out whether it is worth drinking at all. It is also worth considering the fact that every hour only 0.15 mg of one liter of blood leaves the body. From 0.27 to 3 it lasts for about another day.
Therefore, if you are not sure that the calculations are correct, it is better to give up alcohol. It is very difficult to fool modern breathalyzers.
pohmelya.ru
To find out how quickly alcohol is eliminated from the body, it is important to know the general mechanisms of its absorption..
Almost all human organs take part in this process.
Ethanol has a damaging effect on each of them.
Due to the fact that alcohol is a poison in relation to the body, when it enters the bloodstream, the mechanism of its disintegration is instantly launched.
The distribution of alcohol throughout the body is not a complicated process.. When drinking any alcoholic drink, it immediately enters the stomach and moves further along the digestive tract.
Absorption of alcohol is a long process. For example, after the last glass you drink, this process will last at least another 30 minutes.
If a person snacks and eats a lot, the process can take several hours. It is for this reason that any alcoholic drink “inserts” much faster on an empty stomach.
Once in the blood, ethyl alcohol is carried by the bloodstream throughout the body to all organs, including the lungs and brain. In the liver, it is gradually broken down in small portions and excreted from the body.
The presence of alcohol in the brain tissue causes the effect of intoxication. The smell of alcohol on your breath occurs when it enters the lungs. The maximum concentration of ethyl alcohol in the body occurs an hour after its consumption.
The higher the concentration of ethanol in the blood, the more pronounced the disturbances in human behavior are. Thus:
To know how long it takes for alcohol to be completely removed from the blood, it is necessary to clarify all the mechanisms for cleansing the body of it.
The leading route is through the liver. Here, ethanol is oxidized to acetaldehyde, a toxic substance that has a negative effect on all tissues, organs and cells of the body.
The breakdown occurs due to the action of a special enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde is then converted through oxidation into acetic acid, which can be utilized by various cells and tissues.
How long it takes for alcohol to be eliminated from the body can be calculated using a simple mathematical method. In men, the average rate is about 0.1-0.15 ppm per hour. In women, on average, up to 0.1 ppm per hour.
In its pure form, ethanol can evaporate through the lungs and skin, and can also be filtered by the kidneys. It is impossible to speed up the process of breaking down alcohol in the liver, but it is quite possible to promote more intensive elimination through the lungs, kidneys and skin.
Time table for removing alcohol from the human body
| Alcohol/person weight | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | |
| Beer 4% | 100 gr | 35 min | 30 min | 25 min | 20 minutes |
| 300 gr | 1 hour 45 min | 1 hour 30 min | 1 hour 20 min | 1 hour 10 min | |
| 500 gr | 2 hours 55 min | 2 hours 30 min | 2 hours 10 min | 2 hours | |
| Beer 6% | 100 gr | 55 min | 45 min | 40 min | 35 min |
| 300 gr | 2 hours 35 min | 2 hours 15 min | 2 hours | 1 hour 45 min | |
| 500 gr | 4 hours 20 min | 3 hours 50 min | 3 hours 15 min | 2 hours 55 min | |
| Tonic 9% | 100 gr | 1 hour 20 min | 1 hour | 55 min | 50 min |
| 300 gr | 3 hours 55 min | 3 hours 20 min | 2 hours 45 min | 2 hours 35 min | |
| 500 gr | 6 hours 30 min | 5 hours 35 minutes | 4 hours 55 min | 4 hours 25 min | |
| Champagne 11% | 100 gr | 1 hour 35 min | 1 hour 20 min | 1 hour 10 min | 1 hour |
| 300 gr | 4 hours 45 min | 4 hours | 3 hours 35 min | 3 hours 10 min | |
| 500 gr | 8 ocloc'k | 6 hours 50 min | 6 hours | 5 hours 10 min | |
| Port 18% | 100 gr | 2 hours 35 min | 2 hours 15 min | 2 hours | 1 hour 45 min |
| 300 gr | 7 hours 55 minutes | 6 hours 45 minutes | 5 hours 55 minutes | 5 hours 15 min | |
| 500 gr | 11 hours 25 minutes | 11 hours 10 minutes | 9 hours 50 min | 8 hours 45 minutes | |
| Tincture 24% | 100 gr | 3 hours 30 min | 3 hours | 2 hours 35 min | 2 hours 20 min |
| 300 gr | 10 hours 25 minutes | 9 o'clock | 7 hours 50 min | 7 o'clock | |
| 500 gr | 17 hours 25 minutes | 14 hours 50 minutes | 13 hours | 11 hours 35 minutes | |
| Liqueur 30% | 100 gr | 4 hours 20 min | 3 hours 45 min | 3 hours 15 min | 2 hours 55 min |
| 300 gr | 13 hours | 11 hours 10 minutes | 9 hours 45 minutes | 8 hours 40 min | |
| 500 gr | 21 hours 45 minutes | 18 hours 40 minutes | 16 hours 20 minutes | 14 hours 35 minutes | |
| Vodka 40% | 100 gr | 6 hours | 5 hours 30 min | 4 hours 25 min | 3 hours 45 min |
| 300 gr | 17 hours 25 minutes | 14 hours 55 minutes | 13 hours 25 minutes | 11 hours 35 minutes | |
| 500 gr | 29 hours | 24 hours 55 min | 21 hours 45 minutes | 19 hours 20 minutes | |
| Cognac 42% | 100 gr | 6 hours | 5 hours 45 min | 4 hours 55 min | 4 hours |
| 300 gr | 18 hours | 14 hours 55 minutes | 13 hours 55 minutes | 12 hours 10 minutes | |
| 500 gr | 30 hours 30 minutes | 24 hours 55 min | 22 hours 45 minutes | 20 hours 20 minutes | |
The most effective way is to use medical methods. A dropper with glucose, insulin and vitamins B and C restores the normal state of the body, accelerating the elimination of ethyl alcohol from it.
There are various tablets that promote the rapid removal of alcohol breakdown products through urine.
What you can do yourself to speed up the removal of alcohol from the blood:
However, the most universal and reliable way is considered to be good healthy sleep.
ALCOHOL INOXISONATION (acute alcohol intoxication) - a comprehensive syndrome of the effects of alcohol on the body, a kind of transient condition that occurs after drinking alcohol, which is accompanied by disturbances or changes in physiological, psychological or behavioral functions and reactions.
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS
Alcohol and its metabolites are toxic substances that affect the central nervous system and the entire body as a whole. The occurrence of alcohol intoxication indicates a pronounced impairment of the individual’s ability to control his behavior under normal conditions, which may be associated both with the amount of alcohol taken and with individual sensitivity to it.
CLASSIFICATION
- Simple alcohol intoxication.
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- Dysphoric variant.
- Paranoid option.
- With hebephrenic features.
- With hysterical features.
- Pathological intoxication (transient psychosis, the relief of which is dealt with by psychiatrists).
- Epileptoid form.
- Paranoid form.
CLINICAL PICTURE
Alcohol intoxication includes pathological changes in the mental sphere and behavior, disorders in the autonomic-vascular regulation system, movement disorders, the smell of alcohol on the breath and positive chemical reactions to ethyl alcohol.
- The main symptom of simple alcohol intoxication is euphoria. It usually occurs after taking relatively small doses of alcohol and is relatively short-lived: it lasts for the first 1-3 hours after drinking alcohol. Often euphoria is not stable enough and is easily replaced by dysphoric outbursts. For its occurrence and maintenance, it is necessary to maintain a favorable psychological environment. Increased speech and motor activity, expressive behavior, distractibility, disinhibition and increased self-esteem are the main signs of euphoria.
- Altered forms of simple alcohol intoxication.
- The dysphoric variant of alcoholic intoxication occurs in patients with alcoholism, as well as in various types of organic brain failure. This option is characterized by the absence of euphoria, the presence from the very beginning of a gloomy mood with irritability, anger and conflict, and a tendency to aggression. A dysphoric shade of mood also occurs when the state of intoxication ends.
- The paranoid version of alcohol intoxication is characterized by suspicion, touchiness, pickiness, and a tendency to interpret the words and actions of others as a desire to humiliate, ridicule, or gain the upper hand over the interlocutor.
- Alcohol intoxication with hebephrenic features is manifested by foolishness, antics, and senseless violence.
- Alcohol intoxication with hysterical features occurs in the presence of a similar personal predisposition and is accompanied by theatrical sad affect, violent scenes of despair, “madness,” and demonstrative suicidal attempts.
- The main sign of pathological intoxication is considered to be a relatively long stupor of consciousness with a disorder of orientation in place, time, situation, and sometimes in one’s own personality. At the same time, they note the external orderliness and expediency of the actions and deeds of an individual who is in a state of intoxication, although essentially his behavior lacks a clear motivation and is inadequate to reality. These disorders, as a rule, arise unexpectedly and are accompanied by a sharp change in the affective sphere with the appearance of rage, fear, anger, and unprovoked aggression.
Depending on the nature and severity of clinical manifestations, mild, moderate and severe degrees of alcoholic intoxication, as well as alcoholic coma, are distinguished.
- Mild degree of alcohol intoxication
- Minor changes in mental activity (for example, isolation, delayed reaction, hot temper, demonstrative reactions, attempts to dissimulate, euphoria, emotional instability, difficulty concentrating, distractibility, etc.).
- Increased vegetative-vascular reactions (hyperemia of the skin and mucous membranes, scleral injection, increased sweating, tachycardia, etc.).
- Individual disturbances in the motor sphere (possible changes in gait, staggering when walking with quick turns, instability in the sensitized and simple Romberg position, inaccuracy in performing small movements and coordination tests, horizontal nystagmus when looking to the side, positive Taschen test).
- Smell of alcohol on the breath.
- Positive chemical reactions to alcohol (in the body’s media - exhaled air, urine or blood).
- Moderate alcohol intoxication
- Pronounced changes in mental activity: behavior accompanied by a violation of social norms, incorrect assessment of the situation, lethargy, agitation with aggressive or auto-aggressive actions and inappropriate statements, euphoria, dysphoria, violation of the sequence of thoughts, fragmentation of statements, elements of perseveration, slowing down and impoverishment of associations, etc.
- Vegetative-vascular disorders: hyperemia or pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, tachycardia, increased breathing, fluctuations in blood pressure, increased sweating, salivation, dilated pupils, sluggish reaction to light (photoreaction).
- Motor and neuromuscular disorders: severe dysarthria, instability in a standing position and when walking, distinct disturbances in coordination of movements, decreased tendon reflexes and pain sensitivity, horizontal nystagmus.
- Positive chemical tests for ethyl alcohol.
- Severe degree of alcohol intoxication
- Severe mental disorders: disturbances in orientation, severe lethargy, drowsiness, low availability of contact with others, lack of understanding of the meaning of questions, fragmentary meaningless statements.
- Severe vegetative-vascular disorders: tachycardia, arterial hypotension, hoarse breathing due to the accumulation of mucus in the oral cavity and nasopharynx, pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, sweating, in some cases involuntary urination, weak reaction of the pupils to light.
- Severe motor and neuromuscular disorders: inability to stand independently and perform purposeful actions, suppressed tendon reflexes, decreased corneal reflexes, sometimes spontaneous nystagmus.
- Pungent odor of alcohol from the mouth.
- Positive chemical tests for ethyl alcohol. As a rule, more than 3 ppm of alcohol is found in the blood.
- Alcohol coma
- There are no signs of mental activity (unconsciousness, lack of reactions to the environment).
- Severe disturbances of autonomic regulation and activity of the cardiovascular system (collapsed state, involuntary urination and defecation, respiratory disorders).
- Severe neuromuscular disorders (sharp decrease in muscle tone, absence of pain, corneal, tendon reflexes, in some cases pathological reflexes, hyperkinesis, etc.).
- Strong smell of alcohol.
- Blood alcohol concentrations above 3-4 ppm.
Alcoholism- a progressive (progredient) disease that develops in connection with long-term abuse of alcoholic beverages with the formation of a pathological attraction to them, which is caused by mental and then physical dependence on alcohol. Alcoholism can occur without psychosis and with the appearance of psychotic episodes of varying psychopathological structure and duration. The cause of psychosis can be both alcohol intoxication itself and metabolic disorders due to liver pathology. Alcohol intoxication can become a provoking factor for the development of endogenous psychoses. In later stages, dementia of the organic type develops.
Alcohol intoxication
Alcohol intoxication is manifested by mental, somatic and neurological disorders. Their severity depends both on the dose of alcohol, its strength, and on the rate of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, on the person’s condition, and the body’s sensitivity to alcohol. Absorption of ethanol occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, intestines (small). Rich foods, especially those rich in fat and starch, slow down absorption. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach speeds up this process. Sensitivity to ethanol increases with fatigue, fasting, lack of sleep, hypothermia, and overheating. Children, teenagers, and the elderly are especially sensitive to alcohol. Much depends on the activity of enzymes that break down alcohol. With their genetically determined low activity and low content of such enzymes in the blood (for example, low levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in the peoples of the Far North), extreme intolerance to alcohol is expressed, so that moderate doses can lead to a life-threatening coma.
Degrees and signs of alcohol intoxication
Depending on the severity of the condition, three degrees of intoxication are distinguished, each of which is characterized by its own signs of alcohol intoxication.
Mild alcohol intoxication causes euphoria with a feeling of contentment, comfort; ease of communication and talkativeness appear. Signs of mild alcohol intoxication: facial expressions become more animated, gestures and movements are impetuous, sweeping, but less precise. Attention is easily distracted, the quality of work that requires special concentration deteriorates; however, people in this state do not notice this, they even overestimate their capabilities. The somatic state also changes, facial hyperemia and tachycardia appear, appetite increases, and sexual desire intensifies. After 3-5 hours lethargy and drowsiness sets in. The entire period of intoxication is subsequently remembered well, there are not even mild mnestic disorders.
Average degree of intoxication characterized by pronounced neurological stigmas. Signs of moderate alcohol intoxication: slurred speech (dysarthria), unsteady, shaky gait, ataxia symptoms are detected. The finger-nose test is performed with obvious misses. Nausea or vomiting may occur. Euphoria can be replaced by embitterment. It is difficult to attract attention, although orientation in the surroundings is preserved. Excitement gives way to deep sleep, followed by weakness, lethargy, and headache. Some events from the period of intoxication are later recalled unclearly.
Severe degree of alcohol intoxication It is diagnosed when signs of depression of consciousness appear, which increase from severe stupor to stupor and coma. When stunned, the ability to stand on one's feet is lost (ataxia), amia is noted, and severe vomiting occurs, which is dangerous due to the possible aspiration of vomit. Urinary and fecal incontinence may occur. The limbs are cyanotic and the body is cold. As the deafness increases, unintelligible muttering can be observed, which is then interrupted by individual shouts. Stunning turns into stupor, in which it is not possible to awaken the intoxicated person even with the help of ammonia, and sometimes this irritant causes a negative grimace and groans. In the same way, stupor turns into coma when the reaction of the pupils to light and the corneal reflex disappear, breathing becomes difficult, and the pulse is weak. After awakening (sobering up), no memories remain (amnesia of the period of intoxication), asthenia, weakening or loss of appetite persists.
With a mild degree of intoxication, the concentration of alcohol in the blood ranges from 20 to 100 mmol/l, with a moderate degree - from 100 to 250 mmol/l, with a severe degree - from 250 to 400 mmol/l and higher.
Pathological state of alcoholic intoxication. This condition is defined as an acute transient psychosis that develops following alcohol consumption, most often in small doses, and occurs in the form. Beginning acutely, pathological intoxication ends either in sleep or in severe mental and physical fatigue (asthenia), up to the development of prostration with indifference to oneself and to everything that happens. The entire period of psychosis is completely amnesic. The structure of the developing one may be different. Sometimes you can talk about simple things (see Chapter 13 “”). Detachment from the environment arises, behavior is outwardly ordered, but its individual elements are automated; such people are detained only when they attract attention with their unusual appearance or cause surprise by some unusual action that is striking. In a number of cases, in a state of pathological intoxication, productive symptoms of psychosis are expressed - motor agitation, affect of fear, delusional statements. In such a state, antisocial actions and crimes are often committed that require special, not only forensic, but also forensic psychiatric research and analysis.
At epileptoid form of pathological intoxication extreme motor excitation comes to the fore, aggressive actions that are completely incomprehensible in their motives are revealed. Motor stereotypies are often observed. The predominant affect is frantic rage, anger, and bitterness. Speech is usually scant and impoverished. There may be silent excitement, there are no hallucinations and delusions, or they are fragmentary and do not occupy a leading place in the state.
Paranoid form of pathological intoxication, on the contrary, it occurs with a predominance of affectively delusional experiences; patients are convinced that they are in danger, they intend to kill them, they are plotting something against them. An illusory perception of the environment arises with the appearance of false recognitions corresponding to delusional experiences. Fear and horror are clearly expressed. At the same time, behavior retains apparent purposefulness. Speech production consists of individual phrases. Hallucinatory disorders may predominate. The end of psychosis is also critical; deep sleep occurs with amnesia of the episode.
Currently, about 150 million people around the globe put their health at serious risk due to alcohol consumption (K. Yuten, 2001). Alcohol consumption has become widespread throughout the world. Maximum consumption occurs in regions where there is a high level of economic development, where annual figures are 5-10 liters of absolute alcohol for each adult resident. The level of alcohol consumption in Russia tends to increase and is about 15 liters (E. A. Koshkina, 2002). In Western countries, according to WHO, in general, 67% of men regularly drink alcohol, and 28% abuse it, and up to 18% are dependent on alcohol (t. Miller, 1997). The drug situation in Russia is assessed by most researchers as extremely tense. At least 10 million Russians suffer from alcoholism (V.P. Alferov, 1999), which is 7% of the population (G.P. Entin, N.R. Dineeva, 1996). According to the Scientific Center for Narcology of the Russian Federal Healthcare Service, in 2004 in Russia the number of hospitalized patients diagnosed with alcoholism was 647,512 people, which is 28.4% more than in 1999. At the same time, the primary incidence rate of alcoholism, including alcoholism, was 152.7 per 100,000 population (54% more than in 1999).