This document discusses alcohol pharmacology and the effects of alcohol on the body. It begins with defining key terms like pharmacology, alcohol, and fermentation. It then outlines the physical effects of alcohol at different blood alcohol concentration levels. Various sections summarize the metabolism of alcohol in the liver, short and long term central nervous system and other organ effects, and the development of alcohol dependence. Tables show the percentages of students at Longwood University who report alcohol use and the citations used are listed at the end.

1. Alcohol
Pharmacology
Danielle Mason
Megan Hedgepeth
Health 313
September 28th, 2012
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2. What do you guys think
the Definition of
Pharmacology is?
Megan Hedgepeth
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3. Pharmacology
! The study of drugs. A
drug can be any
substance that when
administered to living
organisms, produces a
change in function. Thus,
substances such as
water, metals, or
insecticides can be
classified as drugs.
However, the term drug
commonly means any
medication that is used
for treating disease.
Megan Hedgepeth
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4. What do you guys
think the Definition of
Alcohol is?
Danielle Mason
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5. Definition of Alcohol
! Alcohol (ethanol,
whiskey, ethyl
alcohol, or grain
alcohol) is probably
the most widely
used
nonprescription
sedative-hypnotic
and antianxiety
agent
Danielle Mason
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6. Overview of Alcohol
Pharmacology
! History of Alcohol Pharmacology
! Physical Effects of Alcohol
! Alcohol and Tolerance
! Alcohol Metabolism
! Effects on the Body
! Short-term Effects
! Dependency
Megan Hedgepeth
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7. The Nature and History
! It’s obvious that
alcohol has been
part of human
culture since the
beginning of
recorded history
! Such as the
technology for
alcohol production
! The process of
making alcohol is
called Fermentation
Danielle Mason
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8. Definitions
! Fermentation: Biochemical
process through which
yeast converts sugar to
alcohol
! Mead: Fermented honey
often made into alcoholic
beverages said to be the
first alcoholic drink
! Distillation: Heating
fermented mixture of
cereal grains or fruit in a
still to evaporate and be
trapped as purified
alcohol
Danielle Mason
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9. Physical Effects of Alcohol
! There are 3 different stage
! Diffusion
! Absorption
! Psychological Functioning
Megan Hedgepeth
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10. BAC
! The amount of alcohol in the human body
depends on the amount of alcohol in the
blood which is known as the BAC
! This concentration largely determines
behavioral and physical responses
! Results in Anger, Fear, Stress and Nausea
Megan Hedgepeth
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11. BEER GOGGLES!
! Do you think you can catch a ball drunk?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ORqzaOFUCsg
Megan Hedgepeth
Danielle Mason
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12. Alcohol and Tolerance
! Like psychoactive drugs, tolerance to
alcohol encourages increased
consumption to regain its effects
! It consists of both an increase in the rate
of alcohol metabolism and a reduced
response by neurons and transmitter
systems like GABA
Danielle Mason
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13. Alcohol Metabolism
! Alcohol is inactivated by the liver
metabolism
! This explains why if you consume one beer
in an hour the BAC will remain constant
without making the person intoxicated
! The more you drink the higher the BAC
and the larger amount of alcohol cannot
be metabolized spilling over into the
bloodstream
Megan Hedgepeth
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14. Mechanisms of Action
! Central Nervous Effects (CNS)
! Vascular Effects
! Gastrointestinal Effects
! Renal Effects
! Nutritional Effects
! Adverse Effects
! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXjANz9r5F0&feature=relmfu (2:49)
Danielle Mason
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15. Central Nervous Effects
! Extremely sensitive
to the depressant
action of alcohol
! Gamma-amino
butyric acid(GABA)
is the main inhibitory
Neurotransmitter in
the brain
Danielle Mason
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16. Cardiovascular Effects
! Alcohol does not
produce any direct
deleterious effects
on the heart
! Alcohol may
induce dilation of
the blood vessels in
the skin producing
a warm, flushed
sensation
Megan Hedgepeth
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17. Gastrointestinal Effects
! Alcohol stimulates
the secretion of
saliva and gastric
juices (acid and
pepsin)
! Alcohol can cause
an increased
apatite
! Strong
concentration
may irritate the
gastric mucosa
Danielle Mason
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18. Renal Effects
! Alcohol promotes
and increased
excretion of urine
! Alcohol inhibits the
renal secretion of
uric acid by an
unknown
mechanism that
allows uric acid to
build up in the blood
Megan Hedgepeth
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19. How Alcohol Effects the Liver
! Liver disorders are
responsible for 10-15% of
deaths in alcoholics
! Three stages of alcohol
induced liver disease
! Stage 1 - Alcoholic Fatty
Liver
! Stage 2 – Fatty Cells
Continue to Multiply
! Stage 3 - Scars Begin to
Form on Liver Tissue
Danielle Mason
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20. Effects on Sexual Organs
! “Provokes desire but
takes away from the
performance” –
Macbeth
! Lower Sperm count
! Diminished
hormones in the
blood
Danielle Mason
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21. Effects on the Kidneys
! Alcohol can severely damage the
Kidneys resulting in decrease in kidney
function and the ability to process blood
and properly form urine
Megan Hedgepeth
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22. Effects on the Fetus
! Fetal alcohol
syndrome (FAS) –
condition affecting
children born to
alcohol consuming
mothers that is
characterized by
facial deformities,
growth deficiencies,
mental retardation
Megan Hedgepeth
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23. Nutritional Effects
! Alcohol is a natural
product that posses
calories
! Therefore multiple
nutritional
deficiencies
associated with
alcohol consumption
produce various
conditions such as
neuropathies,
dermatitis, anemia
and psychosis
Danielle Mason
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24. Adverse Effects
! Separated into
acute and chronic
effects
! Acute effects : CNS
depression, impaired
speech, blurred
vision and loss of
memory
! Chronic effects :
similar to sedative
hypnotic drugs,
malnutrition and
vitamin deficiencies
Danielle Mason
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25. Short-term Effects
! At a low-moderate dose disinhibition (loss
of conditioned reflexes due to depression
of inhibitory centers of the brain) occurs
! Moderate quantities of alcohol slightly
increases the heart rate
! Slightly dilates blood vessels in the arms,
legs and skin
! Stimulates appetite
Megan Hedgepeth
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26. Dependence
! According to the WHO approximately 140
million people around the world are afflicted
with alcohol-related disorders
! There are 3 stages
! Minor
! Major
! Delirium Tremens
! Medication for dependency
! Alcohol dependency afflicts about 4% of the
adult population but only 10-15% of these patients
receive appropriate treatment
Megan Hedgepeth
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27. Longwood University College
Health Assessments
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82% 81%
84%
76%
94%
73%
67%
85%
87%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
Percentages
Year
LU Students who
have used in the
past 30 days
HLTH 313 Students
who have drank in
the past 30 days
Danielle Mason
Megan Hedgepeth

28. Answers to the Crossword Puzzle
Megan Hedgepeth
Danielle Mason
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29. Citations
! Hitner, Henry , and Barbara Nagle.
Pharmacology an Introduction. Fifth Edition
ed. Philidelphia: David T. Culverwell, 2005.
Print.
! Hanson, Glen R. , Peter J. Venturelli, and
Annette E. Fleckenstein. “Alcohol-
Pharmacological Effect. “ Drugs and Society.
Burlington: Jones and Barlett Learning, 2012.
184-200. Print. “alcohol effects on the body.”
! http://wwwn.nih.gov/alcohol-health/
alcohols-effects-body. N.p. Web. 26 Sept.
2012. <gttp://niaa.org>.
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