STAGES OF INTOXICATION

Alcohol suppresses the body’s vital systems and too much can lead to impaired judgment ranging from slight euphoria to onset of coma or worse. How significant the effects are experiences are influenced by individual variations such as sex, age, metabolism, consumption and tolerance and others.

Blood alcohol content (BAC)
Also, called blood alcohol concentration, it is a commonly used measure of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes. It is usually measured in percentages of alcohol in the blood. For example, a BAC of 0.10 means 0.10% or one tenth of one percent of a person’s blood alcohol. BAC is conducted through a blood test or with a breathalyzer.

How the Body Absorbs Alcohol
When alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed from the stomach into the small intestine. This process then causes the alcohol to enter the blood stream and then transports it to the brain. The rate of absorption is different for everyone and varies based on such things as body mass, sex, rate of consumption, metabolic rate, etc.

A BAC for normal social-type drinking is usually achieved within 30 minutes after completion of consumption. Absorption rates may take as long as 2 hours when consuming large amounts of alcohol or when a large quantity of food is eaten with the alcohol in a short period of time.

Effects of Alcohol at Specific BAC Levels
Intoxication can have a number of effects on a person, particularly the brain. The effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations such as; gender, age, water to body mass ratio, ethanol metabolism, tolerance level, drugs or medications taken, amount and type of food in the stomach during consumption, speed of consumption, and general physical condition. Some users may become intoxicated at a much lower BAC level than is indicated in the chart below.

The Stages of Intoxication
When a person ingests alcohol there are definite visible changes that occur. An increase in a person’s BAC level can be tracked in stages. The following is a generally accepted guide that identifies the stages of intoxication developed by K.M. Dubowski, Ph.D. one of the leading experts on the medico legal aspects of alcohol use in the United States.

 

 

 

STAGES OF INTOXICATION

 

BAC Level

Stage

Clinical Symptoms

0.01 – 0.05

Sub-Clinical

Behavior nearly normal

0.03 – 0.12

Euphoria

Mild euphoriasociabilitytalkativeness increased self-confidencelowered inhibitionsdifficulty concentrating poor judge and control Beginning loss of sensory-motor impairmentloss of efficiency in fine motor skillsbright color in face

0.09 – 0.25

Excitement

Emotional instabilitysenses are dulledLoss of critical judgmentimpaired perception, memory and comprehensiondecreased sensory response slower reaction time visual activity becomes blurrysensory-motor in-coordinationimpaired balancedrowsiness

0.18 – 0.03

Confusion

Disorientationmental confusiondizzinessexaggerated emotional statesdisturbance of vision and perceptionincrease pain threshold increase muscular in-coordinationstaggering gaitslurred speechapathysleepiness

.025 – 0.40

Stupor

General inertiaapproaching loss of motor functions markedly decreased response to stimulimarked muscular in-coordinationinability to stand or walk vomiting incontinenceimpaired consciousnesssleep or stupor

0.35 – 0.50

Coma

Complete unconsciousnessdepressed or abolished reflexes subnormal body temperature incontinence impaired circulation and respiration slow pulsepossible death

.045 – 0.50

Death

Death can occur from respiratory arrest

 

Download a PDF of Stages of Intoxication

 

Average Rate of Elimination
Elimination occurs at a constant rate for a given individual. Most people eliminate at a rate of 13 to 18 mg% per hour. So that translates to a range of about 1.5 to 2.0 hours per drink.

Blood Alcohol Content Calculators
BAC Calculators do not measure the number of drinks a person has had but rather calculates the level of alcohol in the bloodstream by factoring the number of drinks, percentage of alcohol, person’s weight, and time of last drink.

Standard Drink Equivalents
A standard drink contains 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is about 0.6 fluid ounces or 1.2 tablespoons. Measurements are approximate due to the variances of alcohol content of brands and types of beverages.

 

The downloadable Alcohol Impairment Chart provided is intended as a tool to evaluate you own use and risk level.

 

The downloadable Standard Drink Equivalent Chart provided is intended as a tool to evaluate your own use. You may also be interested in Tips for Cutting Down on Drinking.

 

If you think you may have a problem with drinking and want help, I can offer you confidential,

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