Alcohol

Question 1

1 unit of alcohol is how much?

Answer 1

10ml of pure alcohol

Question 2

The percentage alcohol by volume of a drink is equivalent to…

Answer 2

…the number of units of alcohol in one litre of that drink.

Question 3

what is the legal driving limit?

Answer 3

80mg/100ml by blood. 35mg/100ml by breath,

Question 4

The volume of distribution of alcohol is…

Answer 4

0.7 L/kg i.e. ethanol is distributed into total body water.

Question 5

what is the pharmacokinetic of alcohol?

Answer 5

metabolised at a rate of 15mg/100ml per hour, irrespective of amount consumed

(zero order kinetics).

Question 6

what is one of the pathway alcohol triggers?

2 effects?

Answer 6

mesolimbic dopamine pathway as positive reinforcement due to pleasurable and euphoric effects

negative reinforcement due to stress relief

Question 7

CNS depressants such as alcohol, benzos and barbs are harmful to what?

Answer 7

foetal alcohol syndrome

Question 8

what is the metabolism of alcohol?

Answer 8

1. Ethanol to Acetylaldehyde (via alcohol dehydrogenase with NAD as co-factor)
2. Acetylaldehyde – acetic acid (via aldehyde dehydrogenase with NAD as co-factor)

Limiting supply of NAD is reason for zero order kinetics.

Question 9

what effects does alcohol have on the liver?

stages?

Answer 9

1. fatty liver

2. liver deterioration- fibrosis, and cirrhosis

Question 10

moa of disulfiram?

Answer 10

Aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor

Question 11

Chlordiazepoxide/Clomethiazole

Answer 11

potentiate GABAa receptors