Alcohol decreases level of consciousness and therefore is considered a
____________________ - ANSWER depressant
Alcohol affects many areas of the brain but what two areas are most commonly
affected? - ANSWER - Cerebral cortex
- Limbic system
What does alcohol do in the cerebral cortex? - ANSWER - Depresses behavioural
inhibitory centres-person becomes more talkative, more selfconfident and less socially
inhibited
- Slows down processing of senses-trouble hearing, seeing and tasting, threshold for
pain is raised
Inhibits thought processes - person does not use good judgement or thinks clearly
What does alcohol do to the limbic system? - ANSWER - Limbic system controls
emotions and memory. Alcohol causes the person to experience exaggerated states of
emotion
Anion gap-what is it? What does it mean if a patient has a high anion gap? -ANSWER-
The difference between the primary measured cations (Na & K) and the primary
measure anions (chloride & HCO3)
-high anion gap means there are extra anions, such as lactate, along with a secondary
loss of HCO3 (which is a buffer for acids) = so a larger gap between cations and anions.
Suspected acidosis
- Normal anion gap is 8-16 mEq/L
KUSSMAUL is a mnemonic device to remember what types of conditions can cause
acidosis. What does each letter stand for? -ANSWER- K: Ketosis (DKA)
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