Many people are able to have just “an innocent drink”, consuming alcohol in social situations and continuing their day to day life without their alcohol use causing damage to themselves or those around them. On the other hand, some people are NOT able to control their alcohol consumption. For these individuals, what was once “an innocent drink” becomes a chain that rules their life. Recent data from the National Institutes of Health reports that 15% of the people living in the United States are considered “problem drinkers”. Another study found that approximately 30% of people in the U.S. report experiencing an alcohol disorder at one point in their lifetime. Researchers from the University of California in San Diego have found that the lifetime risk of alcohol-use disorders for men is greater than 20%. They share that there is a risk of around 15% for alcohol abuse and 10% risk for alcohol dependence. Some employees and employers believe drinking after working hours will not result in negative job performance, however, over-consumption may cause lingering effects while at work. Whether they are aware of it or not, the effects of alcohol may still be in their system, which is why Alcohol Testing is an essential tool.
Individuals metabolize alcohol differently so it is impossible to say what effects having a certain number of drinks has on a person. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is used as a guide as to what affects alcohol may have on behavior. Alcohol takes an effect on the brain within five minutes of being consumed. The BAC peaks about 30-45 minutes after a drink is consumed. Rapid consumption of multiple drinks results in higher BAC because the average body can only break down one standard drink per hour.
The more you drink daily, the more likely you are to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. Physical withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can begin as early as 2 hours after the last drink. These symptoms usually worsen within 48 – 72 hours and may persist for weeks. Withdrawal symptoms occur because long-time alcohol abuse causes adaptations in the brain whereby the brain and central nervous system become physiologically changed to become dependent on alcohol. Once this physiological dependence occurs, a sudden drop in blood-alcohol levels can cause the central nervous system to enter a hyper-excitable state, which causes a number of physical symptoms – some of them potentially deadly. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild anxiety and shakiness to severe complications, such as seizures and delirium tremens (also called DTs). The death rate from DTs — which are characterized by confusion, rapid heartbeat, and fever — is estimated to range from 1% to 5%.
Our facility has provided Alcohol Testing services for over 10 years. We have assisted many companies in determining alcohol issues in their employees and referred them for treatment and/or counseling to a qualified professional. Call us if you need personal assistance to help you select the type of alcohol test that would best accommodate your needs. We offer several options for you to choose from, including instant breath alcohol testing kits, which allow you to administer the breath alcohol test conveniently by yourself on an employee or loved one. You may also have the test conducted at our facility without an appointment between the hours of 8am – 5pm on Monday – Friday. We provide breath alcohol tests that conform with DOT’s (Department of Transportation) stringent regulations. All of our testing is focused on maintaining the highest level of integrity as we are an Accredited Collection Facility by the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA).