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PHARMACOKINETICS OF ALCOHOL

المؤلف:  Max M. Houck، Jay A. Siegel

المصدر:  Fundamentals of Forensic Science

الجزء والصفحة:  p367-368

2026-08-12

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PHARMACOKINETICS OF ALCOHOL

Once alcohol is ingested, it is absorbed quite rapidly into the bloodstream. At this point, a dynamic equilibrium is reached which is affected by the rate of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination. For a given person, the rates of distribution, metabolism, and elimination are fairly constant. This means that the ultimate level of alcohol in the blood is dependent upon the rate that it is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The faster it is absorbed, the higher the ultimate BAC will be. An analogy would be a bucket with a hole at the bottom. If you pour water into the bucket it will leak out of the hole. If you pour the water in fast the bucket will start to fill up. You could adjust your rate of pouring water so that it empties as fast as it fills or you could pour it in slowly and it would all leak out even though you are still putting in water. In the case of alcohol, if you drink it rapidly or in strong drinks, the alcohol will be absorbed quickly and the BAC will increase rapidly. If you drink slowly and/or drink weak drinks such as beer, the absorption of the alcohol will proceed more slowly and the BAC will increase at a slower rate. At some point, absorption will cease and the BAC will decrease.