TOXICOLOGY-EFFECTS OF ACUTE ETHANOL CONSUMPTION
Central Nervous System: The CNS is very first system to be affected by acute alcohol consumption. The most common effects include; sedation, relief of anxiety and, at higher concentrations, slurred speech, ataxia, impaired judgment, and disinhibited behavior, a condition usually called intoxication or drunkenness. These CNS effects are most marked as the blood level is rising, because acute tolerance to the effects of alcohol occurs after a few hours of drinking. For chronic drinkers who are tolerant to the effects of alcohol, higher concentrations are needed to elicit these CNS effects. This is also due to upregulation of receptors. For example, an individual with chronic alcoholism may appear sober or only slightly intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of 300–400 mg/dL, whereas this level is associated with marked intoxication or even coma in a nontolerant individual. Also these effect will be cuased by 2 bottles of bear in a normal man whereas in a chronic alcolic, the same effects may require 4 bottles or higher, of the same packing size and alcohol beverage percentage. Like other sedative-hypnotic drugs, alcohol is a CNS depressant. At high blood concentrations, it induces coma, respiratory depression, and death.
