blood alcohol level

[mama sue]

Can anyone tell me what this means? REALLY? I received the autopsy report on Bob today, (over the phone) I have to send a written request to the coroner to get it in writing. What is normal? Can anyone help? Not that it really matters, but I need to know where he was at when he called me. He said nice things and hateful things and all they would tell me is what his blood alcohol level was and that he had several different drugs in his system. Actually I think his words were, and a lot of drugs.

[Laura]

Mama Sue,
First, I want to say that I am so sorry about Bob's death. Any death is tragic and difficult, but a suicide is all the more so. It seems to leave such inevitable guilt......... and anger. This is a horrible disease. My heart goes out to you.

Blood alcohol level refers to the amount of alcohol present in the blood. If one has not been drinking within the last 24 hours or so, it will be negative, or none present. A level of 0.08 (a little less than 0.1) is considered intoxicated for the purposes of driving in most states and will result in a DUI. A level of 0.2 would be completely smashed for most of us, we'd need help walking, but alcoholics can build up tolerances to the effect. At levels around 0.4-0.5, you start seeing fatalities.

However, if there were lots of other drugs in his system that changes everything. Drugs and alcohol combined can have an effect that is greater than the sum of the individual components, they can make the effect of the individual agents stronger. Also, alcohol is a depressant so if he mixed it with sleeping pills or tranquilizers or other drugs with depressant activity than that would be a deadly mix as well. Long term drinking also can damage the liver which is a vital organ used to clear drugs from the body.

I hope this helps. And again, I am so sorry for your loss.

[mama sue]

Thank you, it does help me understand a little more. I appreciate your kindness. {{{HUGS}}}

[Buttons2]

Sue, hang in there,gentle HUG,Buttons