Chapter 4
If you are taking a medication that causes any of the following side effects it may not be safe or legal for you to drive
Sleepiness Blurred vision Dizziness Slowed movement Fainting Inability to focus or pay attention Nausea Excitability Talk to your health care provider about medications you regularly take doctors and pharmacies can tell about known side effects of medications including those that interfere with driving
Smoking drugs
Smoking encapsulates tobacco,marijuana, opium, heroin, cocaine and more Smoke goes to lungs and is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream One of the fastest ways for someone to experience a high as the chemicals are transferred to bodily receptors in seconds
Stomach
Some alcohol gets into the bloodstream in the blank but most of it goes on the small intestine
At low levels the drinker feels more relaxed and less inhabited
They find it easier to enjoy themselves along with the the alcohol's depressant effects it exaggerates personally traits by reducing the inhibitions controlling those traits it is as if one part of the brain says GO FOR IT AND THE OTHTER SAYS THINK IT PART TO SLEEP AND ALLOWS ONLY GO FOR IT PART TO BE DOMINANT
Intoxication
This is how alcohol travels through your body when you consume an alcohol beverages
Mouth
This the point at which the alcohol enters the body
Impaired memory
Under the influence of alcohol you forget where you are going and why you are going there You forget appointments You forget how too drive safely and in truth could not drive safely even if you did remember
Legal drugs and driving
While some legal prescription and over the-counter Medications don't affect driving ability others can cause reactions that may make it unsafe to drive In the state of Florida influence of alcoholic beverages Chemical substances this means that being found driving under the influence of certain legal drugs or medications could get you in the same kind of trouble as being caught driving under the influence of alcohol If the
Over 100 million prescriptions of blank and written annually in the U.S. commonly prescribed
Xanax Valium Klonopin Ativan
liver failure
is not only a consequence of alcoholism but it can also occur With individuals who use Opioid medications-Vicodin OxyContin-habitually many years
In alcoholics damage
to the liver pancreas and stomach degrades the essential nutrients increasing the intensity of nutrient deficiencies, term alcoholics who decrease their food intake and start using increased alcohol intake to (replace) the missing nutrients in their diet eventually this pattern will lead to severe weight loss and clinical malnutrition Alcohol is also very high in calories the relatively high calorie content in alcohol( which ranks second only to the calorie content of fat) can easily lead to weight gain in people who drink regularly
Cirrhois
A slow deterioration of the liver Prevents the liver from preforming critical functions -managing interactions -removing harmful substances from blood Absorbing nutrients Complications include Resistance Diabetes Liver cancer
In order for drugs and alcohol to leave the body most drugs need to be metabolized This is a chemical process in which the liver transforms the drug into a substance called a metabolite that can be passed our of the body
About 90% of alcohol in the bloodstream is metabolized in the liver ( ENZymes in the liver break alcohol down into other compounds or metabolites which can be processed more easily and eventually passed out of the body as carbon dioxide and H20 Some of these intermediate metabolites are toxic and causes damage to the cells and tissues in your liver, pancreases, brain and gastrointestinal tract While drugs and their metabolites are mostly excreted by the kidneys into urine drugs can also leave the body saliva and sweat The length of time it takes a person to eliminate a drug from their body depends on many factors including THe drug taken The dosage and route of administration The body size of the person who took the drug
Depressants affect the central nervous system by slowing down or depressing reflexes and coordination depressants include
Alcohol Analgesics(pain pills) Anti-diabetics(sugar medicines) Barbiturates(downers) Sedatives (luges
Effects on the brain
Alcohol and other drugs act primarily on the nerve cells within the brain Alcohol affects all the parts of your brain although they are not all equally sensitive meaning the intoxicated person will experience different effects at different BAC levels Each part of the brain has a different impact on your driving abilities
high blood pressure
Alcohol can cause blank Which increases the risk of having heart attack or stroke
small intestine
Alcohol enters the bloodstream through the walls of the blank
Alcohol and effects
Alcohol is a colorless chemical presented in fermented or distilled liquors that affects the entire central nervous system and is deadly if too much is consumed Although it is classified as a DEPRESSANT alcohol actually has a duel effect acting as a STIMULANT at lower BAC levels After drinking alcohol you may initially feel eutrophic and stimulated but later feel sleepy and sedated BAC stands for blood alcohol concentration and is expressed in terms of the percentage of alcohol in your blood by weight
Time
Alcohol is a fuel the body burns up fairly quickly but not quickly enough n many instances since drinkers underestimate the amount of time needed to burn the alcohol they have ingested The liver is the organ responsible for burning alcohol and as you might already know cirrhosis of the liver can process approximately once oz of alcohol an hour
Larger effects
Alcohol is more pronounced affect on novice drinkers who have not yet developed a tolerance for it The effects of drinking will occur sooner and be exaggerated when they appear The mood you are in also affects the symptoms you gain from drinking you are extremely tense It may take longer to notice the effect It will have the same effect It just takes longer to notice it Since alcohol reduces inhibitions Strong emotion and alcohol can be dangerous Getting intoxicated when you are very angry or depressed could have devastating consequences as you will do things you would not when you sober
Liver
Alcohol is oxidized by the liver at a rate of about 0.5 oz per hour Alcohol is converted into water Carbon dioxide and energy
Alcohol affects everyone differently
All people are affected by the consumption of alcohol drinking too much of any beverage with alcohol will make a person impaired or emotionally the shame In addition expectations, mood fatigue and the combination of alcohol with other drugs can have synergistic effect and after or increase the effect of alcohol Anger depression and excitement combined with alcohol increases risk and can be unpredictable Since depression and excitement combined with alcohol increases risk and can be unpredictable Since alcohol is a depressant being tired can affect how you react to alcohol Many medications react with alcohol and some people may be more sensitive than others when used in combination with alcohol illegal medications and illegal drugs can have serous drug interactions and sometimes fatal effects
snorting drugs
Also called insufflation Cociane heroin ecstasy and amphetamines 30 to 60% of chemicals will enter the bloodstream through the mucus membrane in the nose The rest is swallowed The rest is swallowed THe effects of the drug are usually experienced within minutes
Pain medication
And some will have a more pronounced affect than others Opioid pain medications(such as Vicodin, Percocet and cocaine) Are known to cause drowsiness and impaired judgement and are especially dangerous if you combine them with alcohol or o
ENERGY DRINKS
Are stimulants Alcohol is a depressant Make the effects of alcohol by giving you a sense of energy and the false sense that you are not that intoxicated MIXED WITH ALCOHOL CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO TELL JUST HOW MUCH YOU HAVE CONSUMED MIXING ALCOHOL AND A BLANK DRINKS CAN CAUSE HEART FAILURE BECAUSE THEY ARE OPPOSING STRESSORS ON THE BODY'S REGULARLY SYSTEMS
ChronicPancreatitis
As excessive drinking continues the inflammation becomes constant All the same symptoms Severe abdominal pain Blood sugar problems Diabetes death Risk factor for blank
How does alcohol cause collisions
As you drink feeding the process of intoxication the CNS effects of alcohol begins to appear
Fibrosis
Causes scar tissue to build up in the liver If you continue to drink this excessive scar tissue builds up and creates a condition called cirrhosis
LOSS OF JUDGEMENT
BOTH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AFFECT A PERSON;S ABILITY TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS -THINKING AND REASONING BECOME IMPAIRED WHEN PEOPLE DRINK OR TAKE DRUGS AND THEY UNDERESTIMATE THE RISKS OF BEING ON THE ROAD Overestimate their ability to tolerate. Alcohol their judgement is affected they're less likely to compensate for their losses EX Impaired vision Slower reaction time by driving more Carefully than usual alcohol is a depressant and when the part of the brain that controls judgement becomes loses the ability to judge situation properly
Multi shot drinks
Be aware that all drinks are not created equal
pancreatitis(acute pancreatitis)
Blank occurs as a sudden attack Abdominal pain Nausea and vomiting Fever Rapid heart rate Diarrhea Sweeting
Alcohol liver disease
Can also damage the brain damaged liver cells allow higher qualities of toxic substances to travel to the brain These substances processed to damage brain cells causing A serous and potentially fatal brain disorder known as hepatic encephalopathy which can be fatal
The kidneys
Can be damaged by habitual drug use over a period of many years Kidney failure is not uncommon among long term users or Crystal meth Heroin Other dangerous drugs
The lungs
Can be seriously damaged by smoking drugs Smoking crack cocaine Crystal meth Damages the lungs almost as severely as smoking Cigarettes does Marijuana use Also cause damage to the lungs
They are unpredictable and illegal hallucinogens include
Cannabis (marijuana,pot) Lysergic acid (LSD/acid) Mescaline an peyote Phencyclidine(PCP) Inhalants (fumes) Psilocybin(shrooms)
The type of drink
Carbonated beverages tend to speed up the absorption of alcohol
Brain
Carries the alcohol to the brain
chronic pancreatitis
Cause these symptoms as well as severe abdominal pain and blood sugar -Slowly destroy the blank and lead to diabetes or even death A risk factor for development of pancreatic cancer
Intoxicating amounts of alcohol Can halt the digestive progress robbing the body of vital vitamins and minerals
Chronicle irritation may lead to to damage to the lining of the stomach Excessive drinking-over time can lead to stomach ulcers. Internal bleeding and cancer, Alcohol can cause the stomach to become inflamed which can prevent food from being absorbed and increase the risk of cancer Drinking alcohol and taking medication that causes stomach irritation Such as-aspirin Increases the risk of gastritis Ulcers Severe bleeding
Synergism
Combining different drugs may cause intense effect that if you only take one drug at a time The effect i called blank and is unpredictable and extremely dangerous just like any chemical reaction Chemicals may be stable alone but when mixed a dangerous chemical reaction can occur If you combine similar drugs for example to depressants the effect of combining two might be similar to Taking three This is especially true with alcohol The same is true for combining drugs that have opposite effects you may have different reactions to the individual drugs
Hindbrain
Control Coordinated movement is affected by alcohol in the part of the brain The functions such as respiration(breathing ) Heart rate
Forebrain
Controls judgement and reasoning it is the area that alcohol "high is created Caution Common sense Reasoning Inhibitions( are reduced when area of the brain is exposed to alcohol)
Impaired vision
Depth perception is distorted and pupil response time is retarded (Your pupils do not react to light as quickly) As a driver they cannot judge distances as well and lights may blind you
Stomach content
Don't drink on a empty stomach is a good advice however just because the food is slowing blank do not mislead yourself to think it is preventing blank the effects of the alcohol you drink on a full stomach will be the same It will just take a litter longer
Drugs after body chemistry prescriptions drugs and no prescription drugs have been developed by pharmaceutical companies and approved for public consumption by the FDA Legal drugs have been tested for reactions and side effects before going on the market Side effects vary and may include
Drowsiness Blurred vision Sensitive to bright light Muscle ache Nausea Slowed reaction time All these side affects alter a drivers performance
The use of tranquilizers causes
Drowsiness Lack of coordination Altered prescriptions Memory impairment Poor control of speech Slower reaction time Needless to say These side effects severely impair your ability to drive safely
Taking drugs orally
Drugs and medicines can enter the body in many different ways
Consider the side effects
Effects is endless and can vary depending on the individual -Never assume you will not react differently or will not be adversely affected affected after taking some type of drug Legal drugs carry warnings labels (The issuarace of prescription drugs requires the pharmacist to tell you how and when to take the drug and warning labels also carry specific instructions As a driver if you take medication read the label and know what is in your system Before driving conduct an inventory of how you are thinking and feeling if you experience any side effect the affect your vision thinking or reaction time do not drive
Related food intakes
Food slows down alcohol absorption
Esophagus Damage Which leads to the stomach can be damaged by even acute alcohol consumption episode
Heavy alcohol consumption an cause a range of issues from relatively minor problems such as Heartburn Gastrointestinal reflux disease To potential problems such as Esophageal cancer Enlarged Bleeding veins( esophageal varicoses )
Pancreatic damage
Heavy or prolonged use of alcohol can cause inflammation of the blank which can be very painful and cause Vomiting Fever Weight loud Safe ultimately can be fatal
blood alcohol concentration
In a person's blood is an indication of how many milligrams of alcohol per 100 millimeters of blood The BAC increases when the body absorbs alcohol faster than it can eliminate it so because the body can only remove about one dose of alcohol per hour Drinking several drinks much more than having one drink over a period of an hour to more
cardiovascular system
Not only does alcohol begin to depress brain functioning but it also depresses your blank After drinking alcohol your heart rate slows Over consumption of alcohol can slow heart rate and respiration and depress blood pressure so much that you may experience sleepiness or even a loss of consciousness
Body size
In your alcohol concentration is your body size body mass and blood volume affect the amount of alcohol in a persons blood stream and therefore the time it takes for a person to feel the effects of alcohol In general the bigger you are the more alcohol you can consume if a 200 pound person and a 100 pound person drink the same amount of alcohol in the same time period The smaller person will become intoxicated quite a bit before the larger person
Liver damage
Is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the USA more than 2 million Americans suffer from liver disease caused by alcohol The liver breaks down most of the alcohol a person consumes but the processes of breaking alcohol down generates toxins even mor harmful than alcohol itself these by products damage liver cells promote inflammation and weaken the body's metabolism and impair the function of other organs
Alcohol absorption or
Is the only ingested substance that undergoes no digestion once it is your stomach it is absorbed directly into the blood steam
Facts about alcohol
It's not what you drink it how much A 12oz can of beer A 5oz glass of wine And a cocktail with 1.5 oz of 80proof distilled spirits all contain the same amount of alcohol
With all medication it is important to know what you are dealing with here are a quick review of the types of legal and illegal drugs and their effect on the body
Legal drugs include non-prescription(over the counter) or those requiring a doctors prescription legal drugs are tested for safety and are labeled which consumer warnings The categories of types of drugs include Depressants Stimulants Narcotics Hallucinogens
Intoxication
Literally means to (POISON YOURSELF) Is the poisoning of the human system with alcohol or other drugs creating excitement or stupefaction this results in impairment of judgement Reason Psychomotor skills
Arrhythmia
Long term drinking can also affect how quickly the heart beats Chronic drinking changes the course of electrical impulses the drive the heart beating which creates and has been linked to cause death
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
Long term heavy drinking weakens the heart muscle which can cause Symptoms of include shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties fatigue,swollen legs and feet and irregular heartbeat It can even lead to heart failure
Antihistamines
Make you feel drowsy unfocused and slow to react drowsy unfocused and slow to react which can significantly impair driving ability Some researchers believe that certain blank can affect driving prefomance more than alcohol as they tend to increase the affects of alcohol If you suffer from allergies or take an blank for any other reason be sure to carefully assess how you are feeling before getting behind the wheel if you feel drowsy after taking a medication if you are taking the drugs for the first time avoid driving until you are familiar with its side effects
Effects on males and females
Males have higher amounts of the dehydrogenase enzyme so males can eliminate alcohol faster Men also have more water in their bodies than women so they can dilute alcohol faster Females take longer to eliminate alcohol than males even though they might be the same weight Elapsed time is also a factor for most males it takes the liver around one hour to process approximately one drink or one shot of liquor typically for females it takes longer
These changes
May affect a wide range of abilities Motor sleep Mood Various cognitive functions
impaired coordination
Muscular coordination is impaired causing problems with coordinated movement Steering brake Accelerator Use is handicapped
Stimulants stimulant or speed up the central nervous system they increase hart rate and generate a false hart Tate and generate a false sense of alertness and well being stimulants include
Nicotine(speed) Designer drugs(ecstasy) Cocaine(crack/cociane)
USING SUPPOSITORIES
ONE OF THE RISKIEST METHODS SUBSTANCE IS ABSORBED THROUGH THE MUCUS MEMBRANE NOT A TYPICAL METHOD AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CAN CAUSE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE CAN LEAD TO RANGE OF SYMPTOMS INCLUDING DEATH
Narcotics are strong depressants that are often prescribed to serve pain they are often prescribed for severe pain They act to shut down the central nervous system narcotics include
Opiates(codeine herion morphine) Hallucinogens after the mind they change the way the mind perceives processes information and reacts
Alcohol related organ
Over time alcohol related organ damage poor nutrient absorption and malnutrition can have serious or fatal effects on the human body Your body processes alcohol with the help of stored nutrients it puts additional nutrients from your bloodstream even regular drinkers who drink moderately can suffer significant deficiencies in essential nutrients alcohol can also directly destroy all member of the B vitamin family
Impaired judgement and reason
Problem-solving and decision making skills and just fine perhaps even enhanced you are the last person to decide that you can still drive When intoxicated you do things you would not normally do and chance things you would not normally chance These are dangerous characteristics for someone behind the wheel of a car
Midbrain
Regulates muscular control Coordinated (movement is affected by alcohol in this part of the brain )
CNS(Depressants
Retard the bodily functions controlled by the brain this includes JUDGEMENT Reason Memory Speech Muscle movement Ant the emotional states that control muscle tension and movement
Injections and drugs
SYRINGE FULL OF AN ILLICIT. SUBSTANCE IS INJECTED INTIO THE BLOODSTREAM FULL EFFECTS ARE FELT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BYPASSES MANY OF THE BODY DEFENSES AND DELIVERS MORE OF THE DRUG TO THE BRAIN ONE OF THE MORE DANGEROUS ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION
Alcohol causes the pancreas to
Secrete enzymes internally rather than sending them to the small intestine These enzymes are harmful to the blank if you consume alcohol excessively over a long time the result will be an inflammation and swelling of tissue and blood vessels
Stats
Show that about one in five heavy drinkers will develop alcoholic hepatitis and one in four will develop cirrhosis
the heart failure
Significant damage with even one episode of stimulant use The most common conditions among drug addicts are heart disease and heart failure
Stomach content
Since alcohol has to be absorbed to have an effect anything slowing the absorption will slow the affect Taking alcohol on an empty stomach guarantees an almost immediate effect as the alcohol hits the blood and quickly goes to the brain
Excessive drinking over time can result in the following Conditions Alcoholic Hepattities
Symptoms include fever nausea appetite loss abdominal pain and even mental confusion as it increases in severity enlarged and causes jaundice excessive bleeding and clotting difficulties
ARE ELIMINATED THROUGH SWEAT BREATH AND URINE LEAVING THE BODY UNCHANGED AS ALCOHOL But the main way the body disposes of alcohol is through chemically breaking down
THIS PROCESS OCCURES AT A STEADY METABOLIC RATE AND NOTHING Hastens it nothing Not cold showers Exercise or hot coffee If you give coffee to someone whose is intoxicated hoping the caffeine will sober them All you will have is a wide awake intoxicated person
After alcohol is aborted
The alcohol enters the bloodstream and is carried through the body the alcohol from the blood then enters and dissolves in the water inside various tissues of the body Once inside on the body the severity of the effects depend on the blood alcohol concentration(BAC) Which is related to the amount of alcohol consumed
Heart
The blank pumps alcohol throughout the body
Drugs work by stimulating various parts of the human body In the longe term substance abuse leads to Physical effects that require medical treatment to resolve
The brain can be irreparably damaged by drug use Prolonged drug use causes a number of serous psychological problems such as -Depression, an Anxiety Paranoia
When a person drinks an alcoholic beverage the speed at which the alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream can vary depending on the following
The concentration of alcohol in the drink-the greater the concentration the faster the alcohol is absorbed
CNS
The reason your behavior changes the more you drink alcohol is due to a chemical changes in your body regardless of what for in comes in Bear Wine or distilled spirit Alcohol has the same effect it is a central nervous system
Alcohol through the brain
When consumed alcohol passes through the three main areas of the brain
Brain damage (Long term)
drinking result in permanent blank serious mental health problems and alcohol dependence or alcoholism Teenagers brains are particularly vulnerable because the brain is still developing, alcohol can damage parts of the brain affecting not only behavior but the ability to learn and remember Heavy drinking - causes alterations in the neurons as a result brain mass shrinks and the brain"s inner cavity grows bigger