Blood alcohol after drinking is the concentration of alcohol in the blood of a person after consuming alcohol. For legal purposes, the measurement of blood alcohol content (BAC) is done using blood tests and breathalyzers. During measurement, the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is assessed by volume or mass. The concentration of the blood alcohol after drinking is mainly dependent on the amount of alcohol ingested. However, this can decrease over time as the body metabolizes the alcohol. The blood alcohol can also increase even after one has stopped drinking because some of the alcohol might not have been absorbed into the bloodstream. Sometimes, the physical size of an individual determines the amount of alcohol it will take to raise the level of blood alcohol. BAC is used in many jurisdictions to identify people who are driving under the influence (DUI). If you are operating a motor vehicle, there is a set maximum BAC.
Alcohol is easily absorbed through mouth tissues, meaning that the blood alcohol content level can start rising within the first drink. Absorption of alcohol takes place in the small intestines of an individual’s digestive system. When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it is treated like a toxin by the body. When the body identifies alcohol as a toxin, the liver is used to facilitate digestion. The liver plays the role of eliminating all toxins in the body and converts them into substances tolerable to the body. The liver is negatively affected by alcohol because of this. The liver can become exhausted because of detoxifying the bloodstream. Too much alcohol can lead to the liver developing a scar tissue, which is a characteristic of liver cirrhosis.
Long periods of alcohol consumption can lead to the development of alcohol tolerance in an individual. At the beginning of alcohol consumption very little amount of alcohol is required to impair someone’s functions but when one develops tolerance, they might need more alcohol to cause intoxication. The legal definition of intoxication is based on a middle ground with 0.10% being the common legal limit is most areas. The limit can be set much lower than that. Breathalyzers can measure the blood alcohol level in a person through analysis of the air expelled from the lungs. A certain amount of alcohol vapor is contained in the air breathed out by an intoxicated individual. Police use the breath test for quick and reliable testing in the field. For more accurate results, taking a blood test is advisable with the use of bac calculator.
Measurement of blood alcohol after drinking allows it to be used in the enforcement of DUI to assess the risks of people getting involved in accidents. Studies show that a person tends to lose control of his or her cognitive functions more when he or she has high blood alcohol concentration. These functions are such as coordination of eyes and hands, which is important when driving.