I was told in detox that my BAC was .6. What determines lethality to an individual and why?

Question

Having never been informed of my BAC level, I was unaware of what it meant to have a level of .6. I remember this instance and recall being aware and conversational at the time. I am wondering what determines an individual's likelihood of having a lethal dose. I'm fairly young and am also wondering how significantly my liver might become damaged with regular episodes of heavy binges. As with smoking, is it possible for certain individuals to be resistant to ill effects/damage of alcohol abuse?

Answer 1

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It depends on many different things. Even though they set up charts to state a

lethal dose, it does not apply to everyone. It depends on the cause, also.

Alcohol can cause liver cell damage in different ways:

1) overconsuming alcohol in a short time period doesn't give the liver cells time

to make the necessary enzymes to convert the alcohol to acetaldehyde, then

to acetate, and then to carbon dioxide and water. If the alcohol is not

converted complete to the last step, it can become toxic to the liver cells.

2)consuming alcohol over long time periods can lead to fat build up inside

the liver (fatty liver disease). The fat causes additional pressure inside

the liver that can also damage the liver cells.

3)some people are more sensitive to alcohol and some are even allergic

to it. Alcohol is a drug and just like any other drug...some people may

have little problem consuming it, while others...it doesn't take much to

cause one.

4)mixing alcohol with medication can lead to an interaction occuring

between them...or the liver is overwhelmed in handling both at the

same time. That can cause instant cell damage.

So, it really depends on a lot of different things whether a dosage would

be lethal or not.

When the liver cells become damaged, the immune system of the body

responds to this and cause inflammation inside the liver. This causes

the liver to enlarge in size and takes on a spongy texture.

This inflammation, if it continues in the liver and the cause is not

stopped can lead to where the liver cells die off and form scar tissue

inside the liver...this is then Fibrosis. When the scar tissue keeps

forming in the liver, it start to connect together...this is

bridging Fibrosis. The scar tissue starts to reconstruct the

liver on the inside and the blood doesn't flow through properly.

The scar tissue prevents healthy cells and regenerated cells

from receiving blood and therefore they continue to die off.

All blood from the entire abdominal area flows through the

portal vein of the liver, to the hepatic vein and then through

the vena cava vessel to the heart. The scar tissue also

prevents this from taking place...the blood backs up

in the portal vein and other smaller WEAK vessels

under the liver (varies) that can break open and

cause internal bleeding. This is now Cirrhosis of

the liver.

Being detoxed from alcohol is the very first step in preventing

further damage to the liver cells. As long as there is just

inflammation with enlargement...there is a good chance that

it could be reversed. Once it reaches the stage of scar tissue

forming, it will become Cirrhosis...a progressive irreversible

disease. There is a fine line between the two.

A liver biopsy is the best test known to determine this.

Most all Transplant centers require a patient who is

addicted to alcohol, to be detoxed (under doctors care)

for a period of six month prior to being referred to them

for the evaluation process of being placed on the liver

transplant list. It is sad that many don't live to make

it during that period of time.

Here is a chart you might want to look at:

0.02 Slight mood changes.

0.05-0.06 Impairment starts at .05

Lowered inhibition, impaired judgement, decreased rational decision making ability.

0.08 Legally drunk, deterioration of reaction time & control. Driving is dangerous.

0.10-0.12 Memory and judgment, and motor skills are markedly impaired;

lack of coordination and balance; recognition of impairment is lost;

impotence can occur; increasing belligerence in some. Driving is extremely dangerous.

.15 Impaired balance, movement and coordination. Difficulty standing, walking or talking.

Blackouts (periods of amnesia for all or part of drinking episode) occur for some at

the .14-.17 level.

.20 Decreased pain & sensation. Erratic emotions. Nausea/vomiting may occur.

Risk for asphyxiation on own vomit.

.30 Semi-conscious. Diminished reflexes.

.40 Loss of consciousness (comatose). Very limited reflexes. Anesthetic effects.

Death possible due to respiratory arrest.

.50 Deep coma and death due to anesthesia of nerve centers controlling respiration

and heartbeat.

>.50 Half the people who reach this level die.

I hope this information has been of some help to you.

Best wishes

Answer 2

Not all that much. Toxicity is a fairly straightfrward thing. .64 is considered lethal whether a first time drinker succumbs at .61 ot as heavy drinker succumbs at .67 isn't critical. The critivcal information is that .6 is a wake up call ...

Long term ingestion of poisons like ethyl alcohol eventually destroy the liver.The term is cirrhosis. Symptoms of liver failure include yellowing of the eyes and skin.

Answer 3

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