Journal Published Online: 01 November 1997
Volume 42, Issue 6

Concentration-Time Profiles of Ethanol in Arterial and Venous Blood and End-Expired Breath During and After Intravenous Infusion

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

Ethanol (0.40 g/kg) was administered to 13 healthy men by intravenous (i.v.) infusion at a constant rate for 30 min. The concentrations of ethanol in arterial blood (ABAC), venous blood (VBAC), and end-expired breath (BrAC) were measured at 17 exactly timed intervals. Blood-ethanol was determined by headspace gas chromatography and breath-ethanol was measured with a quantitative infrared analyzer (DataMaster). BrAC was multiplied by 2300 to estimate the concentrations of alcohol in blood. During the infusion of ethanol, ABAC exceeded VBAC by about 10 mg/dL on the average and ABAC was also higher than BrAC × 2300 by about 4 mg/dL on average. When infusion of alcohol ended, ABAC, VBAC, and BrAC were 94.8 ± 2.06 (±SE), 84.7 ± 1.54, and 89.3 ± 2.10 mg/dL, respectively. The concentrations of alcohol in blood (ABAC and VBAC) and breath decreased abruptly after the administration of alcohol stopped and by 5 min postinfusion, the A-V differences in concentration of ethanol were small or negligible. The mean apparent half-life of the distribution plunge was 7 to 8 min, being about the same for ABAC, VBAC, and BrAC. The disappearance rate of ethanol was 15.5 ± 0.55 mg/dL/h (mean ± SE) for arterial blood, 15.2 ± 0.49 mg/dL/h for venous blood, and 16.3 ± 0.73 mg/230 L/h for breath; no significant differences were noted (p > 0.05). We conclude that A-V differences in the concentration of ethanol exist during the loading phase but are rapidly abolished when the administration of ethanol terminates. In the post-absorptive phase of ethanol kinetics, when alcohol has mixed with the total body water, VBAC exceeds ABAC by about 1–2 mg/100 mL on average.

Author Information

Jones, AW
Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, Linköping and Departments of Anesthesiology, Southern Hospital, Stockholm, and Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
Norberg, Å
Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, Linköping and Departments of Anesthesiology, Southern Hospital, Stockholm, and Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
Hahn, RG
Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Hospital, Linköping and Departments of Anesthesiology, Southern Hospital, Stockholm, and Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
Pages: 7
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Stock #: JFS14265J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14265J