Alcohol Flashcards
What are the alcohol unit limits for a woman?
14 units a week and 3 units a day
What is the rate at which alcohol is eliminated?
~7g/hour
How many grams does 1 unit of alcohol contain?
8g
What does it mean that alcohol is metabolised by zero order kinetics?
The rate at which alcohol is degraded stays the same, no matter how much you have consumed.
What are the final products of alcohol metabolism?
Acetate (acetyl coA) and NADH
Which metabolite of alcohol metabolism is toxic?
Acetaldehyde (ethanal)
What are 3 complications of prolonged alcohol consumption?
fatty liver, alcohol hepatitis and cirrhosis
Why does fatty liver occur?
more acetyl coA is synthesised, increased synthesis of fatty acids and ketone bodies, increased synthesis of TAG, accumulates in liver
Why is inadequate NAD+ a problem?
cannot convert lactate to pyruvate, needed for glycerol metabolism, needed for fatty acid oxidation
How is gout caused by alcohol consumption?
inadequate NAD+ is produced, kidneys’ ability to excrete uric acid is reduced, urate crystals accumulate in tissues
What can decreased glycerol metabolism lead to?
Hypoglycaemia
As there is less gluconeogenesis
What is the treatment for alcohol dependence?
Disulfiram
Inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase
What are the alcohol unit limits for a man?
21 units a week and 4 units a day
