scholarly journals Alcohol consumption, blood alcohol concentration level and guideline compliance in hospital referred patients with minimal, mild and moderate head injuries

Author(s):  
Marianne Harr ◽  
Ben Heskestad ◽  
Tor Ingebrigtsen ◽  
Bertil Romner ◽  
Pål Rønning ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
Hideto Suzuki ◽  
Takanobu Tanifuji ◽  
Satoko Kimura ◽  
Tatsushige Fukunaga

Background Alcohol consumption may be a risk factor for accidental deaths; however, characteristics of alcohol-related deaths are unclear. We investigated characteristics of alcohol-related accidental deaths to facilitate target strategies. Methods In this article, 1060 cases of accidental deaths examined by the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office (2015) were divided into two groups: deceased individuals who drank alcohol (alcohol; n = 212) and those who did not (control; n = 848). Age, sex, alcohol consumption patterns, and manners/causes of deaths were compared. Places where individuals in the alcohol group met with an accident, and their blood alcohol concentration was assessed. Results Lower mean age (60.5 vs. 73.7 years) and a higher male ratio (75.9% vs. 58.5%) were observed in the alcohol group. Daily alcohol consumption was more common in the alcohol group (70.8% vs. 13.4%). Falling was the leading cause of death in the alcohol group, but without a significant difference (alcohol: 31.6%, control: 30.4%). Incidence rates of drowning (22.2% vs. 7.9%) and poisoning (11.3% vs. 2.0%) were significantly higher in the alcohol group. The mean blood alcohol concentration was 1.6 mg/mL. Of the total alcohol-related accidents, 60.8% occurred at home. Falling down the stairs was the primary type of falling, and majority of drownings occurred in a bathtub. Conclusion Male habitual drinkers (middle-aged to older adults) should be targeted to prevent alcohol-related accidental deaths. More than 50% of deaths occurred at home and care should be taken when performing daily activities, including using stairs and while bathing.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn Sawyer Sommers ◽  
Janice M. Dyehouse ◽  
Steven R. Howe ◽  
Kathryn Wekselman ◽  
Michael Fleming

• Background Of the more than 40 000 Americans killed each year in vehicular crashes, 40% are involved in alcohol-related collisions. Although self-reported alcohol use has become an anchor for alcohol intervention after traffic crashes, clinicians are often skeptical about the truthfulness of self-reporting. • Objective To determine the validity of self-reported alcohol consumption of vehicular occupants hospitalized for a serious, alcohol-related injury. • Methods Non-alcohol–dependent subjects 18 years and older who were injured in motor vehicle crashes were interviewed. The self-reported number of standard drinks, time that drinking commenced, sex, and weight were used to calculate estimated blood alcohol concentration. This value was compared with the blood alcohol concentration measured at admission. • Results Of the 181 subjects, 60% provided sufficient data to calculate the estimated concentration. Seven men with admission concentrations of 10 mg/dL or more denied drinking. Among the 113 subjects with estimated concentrations who acknowledged drinking (excluding the 7 who denied drinking), the mean concentration at admission was 158.67 mg/dL, and mean estimated concentration was 83.81 mg/dL. According to multiple regression analyses, weight and number of drinks accounted for 3% of the variance in alcohol concentration at admission for women (R =0.174, F2,40 = 0.623, P = .54) and for 29% of the variance in men (R=0.543, F2,128 =26.71, P< .001). • Conclusions Most persons who drink before vehicular injury acknowledge drinking. Self-reported data from men generally reflect the overall trend of alcohol consumption but with systematic underreporting. Reports from women are less predictable.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 2823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Terpstra ◽  
Andrew Scholey ◽  
Joris C. Verster ◽  
Sarah Benson

Hangover resistance may be linked to an increased risk of continuing harmful drinking behaviours as well as involvement in potentially dangerous daily activities such as driving while hungover, mainly due to the absence of negative consequences (i.e., hangover symptoms) the day after alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of claimed alcohol hangover resistance relative to estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC). A total of 1198 participants completed an online survey by answering questions regarding their demographics, alcohol consumption and occurrence of hangover. Two methods were used to calculate eBAC, one based on the modified Widmark Equation (N = 955) and the other from an equation averaging the total body water (TBW) estimates of Forrest, Watson, Seidl, Widmark and Ulrich (males only) (N = 942). The percentage of participants who claimed to be hangover resistant decreased rapidly with increasing eBAC and only a small number of hangover resistant drinkers remained at higher eBACs. Comparisons of the eBACs calculated by the two methods revealed significantly higher BACs when using the modified Widmark equation. These findings suggest that additional research for eBAC calculations is needed to improve accuracy and comprehensiveness of these equations for future alcohol hangover research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3670
Author(s):  
Joris C. Verster ◽  
Lizanne Arnoldy ◽  
Sarah Benson ◽  
Andrew Scholey ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Stock

The alcohol hangover is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms, which can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Here, we present the book “The alcohol hangover: causes, consequences, and treatment”, written to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group (AHRG), summarizing recent advances in the field of alcohol hangover research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 1525-1531
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Yadollahi ◽  
Forough Pazhuheian

Background: There is strong evidence that a substantial number of fatal as well as nonfatal injuries in road traffic accidents result from alcohol consumption and abuse. Aims: To examine the relationship between blood alcohol concentration and characteristics of injury in trauma patients admitted to a major teaching hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional investigation of trauma characteristics among 38 435 car and motorcycle drivers referred to the South of Iran Trauma Center between October and March 2018. A log-binomial regression model was used to evaluate the relative risk of each covariate on the Injury Severity Score. Results: There were 253 patients (7.78%) with alcohol consumption. Also, blood alcohol level was positive in 8.66% and 6.93% of car and motorcycle drivers, respectively. The ISS in alcohol consumers and nonconsumers was 6.34 (standard deviation; 8.73) and 4.12 (7.78), respectively, which was significantly higher in the alcohol consumers (t test = 12.96, P < 0.001). Therefore, alcohol consumption was a significant factor in increasing the relative risk of injury, which was 2.83 units more than among drivers who had not consumed alcohol. Conclusions: Our findings show that the police and law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to enforce stricter rules to reduce drink driving and the burden of trauma on the healthcare system.


1987 ◽  
Vol 80 (8) ◽  
pp. 486-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
D W Yates ◽  
J M Hadfield ◽  
K Peters

The impact of alcohol use on the workload of two accident & emergency departments in north-west England was assessed by blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measurement, inspection of clinical records and interview of all patients aged 16 and over attending throughout a two-week period. The frequency of intoxication was similar to the previous reported rate in Scotland: 13.2% of all patients had a positive BAC. Inebriated injured patients arrived at all times of the day — varying in frequency from 2.5% of midday attenders to 78% of those presenting after midnight. The incidence of alcohol-related industrial accidents was low, but 60% of all assaulted patients were inebriated, many having sustained head injuries. Of patients attending within 2 hours of an accident at home, 19% also had a positive BAC, but 92% of those with ankle sprains were sober. Patients in lower social classes reported higher rates of alcohol consumption. The popularity of beer in comparison to wines and spirits was inversely related to age and unrelated to social class. Alcohol abuse is commonly associated with injuries sustained at home and with assaults occurring in public places. Prevention campaigns directed at the reduction of these types of incidents should be as concerned with the inebriation of the patient as with the architectural, environmental and legal framework within which the ‘accident’ occurs.


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