Acute alcohol ingestion and platelet function
E. L. Dunn, R. G. Cohen, E. E. Moore and R. D. Hamstra
A substantial number of severely injured patients are under the influence
of alcohol, making it important to understand the effects of acute
alcoholic intoxication on the clotting mechanism. Twenty healthy volunteers
ingested commercial liquor over a four-hour period and were observed for
another three hours. Peak blood alcohol levels were above 200 mg/dL in four
subjects and between 100 and 200 mg/dL in 12. Platelet counts, platelet
aggregation, and bleeding times were not significantly altered over the
seven hours. This study demonstrates that acute alcoholic intoxication in
healthy persons does not alter platelet function.
