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Alcohol absorption, gastric emptying and a breathalyser
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|February 1, 1980
Summary
Portable breathalyzers may detect major changes in gastric emptying after alcohol intake. However, venous blood alcohol measurements are more reliable for assessing alcohol absorption and gastric emptying rates.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacokinetics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Assessing gastric emptying rate is crucial for understanding alcohol absorption dynamics.
- Portable breathalyzers offer a non-invasive method for estimating alcohol concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of a portable breathalyzer (Alcometer AE-M2) in assessing gastric emptying post-alcohol ingestion.
- To compare breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) and venous blood alcohol concentration (VBAC) with scintigraphic gastric emptying measurements.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous measurement of BrAC, VBAC, and gastric emptying rate using scintigraphy after alcohol consumption.
- Correlation analysis between alcohol absorption parameters (area under the curve) and gastric emptying rates.
- Time-course analysis of BrAC and VBAC correlations.
Main Results:
- Alcohol absorption during the first 30 minutes correlated with gastric emptying rate, indicating dependence.
- No significant correlation between BrAC and VBAC in the initial 15 minutes post-ingestion.
- A significant correlation between BrAC and VBAC emerged after 15 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Breath alcohol measurements can identify significant alterations in gastric emptying.
- Venous blood alcohol concentration measurements provide a more reliable assessment of gastric emptying and alcohol absorption kinetics.