All Blood Tests

To estimate of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) a breath alcohol test is given. The breath alcohol test measures the amount of alcohol in the air that you breathe out or exhale. There is a simple hand held device that allows you to measure your own breath alcohol level. If the device is calibrated correctly and used according to the manufacturer’s directions, it will give you an accurate estimate of your blood alcohol level. This personal device is similar to, although not as precise as, the type of test given by police for suspected drunk drivers.

Within minutes of drinking alcohol, your blood alcohol concentration starts to rise. Unlike food, alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach, goes into the bloodstream, and travels throughout your body and to your brain. This allows blood alcohol levels to increase quickly.

The amount of alcohol in your blood reaches its highest level about 60 minutes after drinking. However, food in your stomach may increase the amount of time it takes for the blood alcohol to reach its highest level. Most of the alcohol is broken down in the liver. The rest of it is passed out of your body in urine and your exhaled breath. You can buy breath alcohol devices to measure your breath alcohol concentration at many pharmacies or through the Internet.

The manual appliance is a glass tube (or a balloon and a glass tube) that contains color changing crystals activated when exposed to alcohol from your breath. This device is easier and less expensive than electronic meters.

The electronic meter shows your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) percentage in a digital display window after you blow into a glass mouthpiece attached to the meter. This type of meter is more expensive than the manual type.

Many bars and restaurants provide their customers with free alcohol breath tests using one of these two methods. The devices are also used to monitor people in an alcohol rehabilitation center or hospital.

The breath alcohol self-test is used to estimate your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The results can help you decide whether it is safe to drive. This estimate of blood alcohol is not intended to represent your actual driving abilities. Your driving may be impaired even with a low BAC level, such as below 0.05.

The breath alcohol test offers only one piece of information to help you make a safe decision about drinking and driving. The safest decision is always to not drive if you have been drinking.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is commonly used by police and other legal authorities to determine whether a person is legally impaired and should not drive. A blood alcohol concentration in the range of 0.05 to 0.10 is considered legally impaired throughout most of the United States. However, legal BAC levels vary from state to state.

Driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) can have fatal results. Alcohol is involved in almost half of all deadly highway accidents. All it takes is one drink to possibly impair your ability to drive safely. At 0.06 BAC, your judgment and physical coordination are impaired. At a BAC of 0.08, your muscle coordination and driving ability are significantly impaired.

Having any amount of alcohol in your blood can mean that judgment and reflexes will be impaired. You can purchase breath alcohol tests on the Internet, either directly from the manufacturer or from a company that sells this kind of product. To find a vendor simply do an internet search for the type of test or the name of the manufacturer.