ABSTRACT
Alcohol may be ingested or it may be present in the body by virtue of bacterial action occurring after death. Depending on local practice, blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) can be expressed in many different units and notations, but they are all similar in their meaning. E. M. P. Widmark, a Swedish physician did much of the foundational research regarding alcohol pharmacokinetics in the human body. Charles Winek's formula is based on the simple observation that a 150-pound man will have a BAC of 0.025% after drinking 1 ounce of 100-proof alcohol. When considering the pathways and factors that modulate blood alcohol levels and how the body disposes of alcohol, it is important to understand how alcohol is distributed within the body, and what can influence the absorption of alcohol and contribute to its first-pass metabolism. Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine by diffusion, with most of the absorption occurring in the small intestine.
