Why are breath tests inaccurate?

There could be several reasons for a breath test to be unreliable, which are discussed below. Basically, a breath test measures the level of alcohol present in the lungs, and exhaled through breath. When a driver is asked to breathe into the breathalyzer or an Intoxilyzer, any residual air in the mouth can give a mistakenly high level of BAC. Other environmental factors can also affect the accuracy of a breath test, such as temperature, body weight and eliminating capability of the body etc.

Temperature of the breath

An accurate breath test works when the breath is at 34 degrees centigrade. However, studies show that breath temperature varies from 35.5 centigrade to as high as 37 centigrade from person to person, which can result in low or too high results on the breathalyzer. Normally, the results can vary from 10% to 20% from the actual reading due to a change in temperature.

Metabolism rate of the person

Every persons body has a different metabolism rate, which can end up giving high or lower levels of alcohol. Two people with varying metabolic rates will have different levels of BAC if a person has a slower metabolism, and the other one has a faster metabolism. Usually, people with slower metabolisms show higher levels of BAC than those with a faster metabolism, even if they took equal number of drinks. Similarly, the absorption rate of alcohol differs from person to person, and also if the drink was taken on an empty stomach or with some food.

Most breath tests assume that the person is “post absorptive” i.e. alcohol is no longer being absorbed into the blood stream from the person’s digestive tract. People with slower metabolism, or those who have had food along with the drink might still be absorbing alcohol into the blood stream at the time they are stopped as a suspect for DUI. People with slower metabolisms will get rid of alcohol slowly from their blood stream, and hence can end up with a very high BAC level.

Taking a breath test after belching, hiccupping or vomiting

In the case if the driver was hiccupping, belching or even vomiting prior to taking a breath test, chances are that he/she will have a higher level of alcohol on the breath. Therefore, it is the duty of the police officer to ensure and observe that the driver has not belched, hiccupped or vomited during the past 15 minutes before a breath test is carried out. If care is not taken in this regard, your DUI lawyer can defend you in court using this as the basis of defense.

Use of dentures and problems in the mouth

If the driver being tested for breath alcohol levels uses dentures or has any other problems associated with the mouth, it can trap alcohol in the mouth, causing the BAC results to be inaccurate and high. Again, this can be challenged in court and used as a defense strategy by your DUI attorney, to help you win the case.

Similarly, if a person has chemical compounds which are naturally present in the mouth, it can affect the BAC reading. The breathalyzer not only registers the level of alcohol molecules called ethyl alcohol, but it also measures other natural compounds present in the breath which can inflate the BAC reading.

How your DUI lawyer can defend you

If you have been charged with a DUI, your best DUI lawyer will be trained and knowledgeable about how to deal with the inaccuracies of breath tests. If the prosecutor uses the results of the breathalyzer as proof against you, it can be proved as unreliable and inaccurate.

600,000 anonymous insurance claims were analyzed in the study.  Employers provided the insurance that these claims came from.

Study results showed that as compared to the control group, those suffering from bipolar disorder had a 3.13 times greater chance of having a bad reaction to medical treatment, such as brain injury or lithium toxicity. In fact, in the 2 year research project, about 7 percent had one bad reaction.

What were some of the health problems those with bipolar were more likely to suffer?

Those with bipolar were 1.68 times more likely to suffer from endocrine or metabolic problems than those without the disorder.

Women had problems with their reproductive systems.  In fact woman with bipolar disorder were 25% more likely to have a problem.  Problems included breast cancer and dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Medication treatments may cause side effects. For instance, Lamictal may cause problems with the eyes and possibly result in the need for vision correction. Other drugs can indirectly effect employee productivity if they don’t address the manic depression symptoms well enough and, as a result, other treatments will need to be found for increasing productivity of the employee.  Still other drugs may cause anxiety as a side effect so anxiety relief may need to be sought.  Plus drug side affects can cause depression rather then treat it.  If you Google “depression forum” you will find discussion boards online that have a depression chat where more information can be found about the drugs whose side effects may include depression.

Another main area were neurological problems.  One-fourth of those with the disorder were more likely to have one neurological challenge or more.  Some of the problems included spinal cord injuries and headaches.  These occurred 2.27 times more among the bipolar disorder group in the study.

William D. Marder, Ph.D., is one of the study’s authors.  He said, “Medication use and behavioral characteristics are known to increase the risk of disease among bipolar patients, but much is still unknown about the reasons for increased rates of comorbidities among this population and ways to reduce them.”

“Our analysis underscores the urgent need for further exploration of how to best increase providers’ capacity to address, monitor and ultimately improve the psychiatric and physical health of their bipolar patients.”

Why would your child experiment with drugs by drinking cough syrup or taking cough pills?  It’s easy for them, their friends, and for parents not to think of it as a drug.  It’s quick to get over-the-counter at the supermarket or from your bathroom cabinet.  Kids can pass it easily from one kid to another or take it in their bedroom while you think they’re texting their BFF.  It’s a way for teens to dip into trying drugs without taking it too seriously.  Come on, the bottle is full of fun colored sryupy sweet stuff, if it tastes like candy it’s gotta be okay, right?

What do you think the average age is of the youngest abuser?  12.  Studies show that teens age 12-17 are the most likely abusers.

As it turns out, since the media started mentioning the drug like effects that can occur by downing a bottle of cough syrup, some kids have seen it as “the thing to do”.  And if it’s the thing to do, then you can bet there will be other kids pressuring your kid to do it.  In fact more schools are reporting problems with teens abusing cough medicine, and drug rehab centers are seeing more people in need knocking on their doors.  However by the time the teen seeks help from an inpatient or outpatient rehab facility he’s often moved on to primary drugs like alcohol and marijuana and gulps down cough syrup to supplement the buzz.

Why is it important to tell your teen, “just say no to drugs”?  And what kind of high do these kids want?  What they’re seeking and what occurs can be two different things.  What occurs is drowsiness. (This seems counter productive because if they want to experience a high, don’t they want to be awake for it?)  What else?  Hallucinations and severe behavioral changes.  However, if you think behaviorial changes might not be so bad for your kid, try this on.  How about a little psychosis?  A loss of contact with reality, but not the fun kind, the scary kind.  A delusional belief or two.  Feelings of depression or manic feelings.  How about bizarre behavior and just for kicks problems living day to day.  If you still haven’t mustered up the nerve to tell your child to just say no to cough syrup, how about this?  You could be the parent, like other parents, who is called to the hospital by surprise to see your child writhing around on a gurney asking you who they are and who are you!

What might come afterward, after the dust has settled and your child comes home?  Perhaps alcohol rehab, a rehab video, alcohol detoxification, drug addiction rehab, depression treatment, or the need to overcome anxiety from the situation.

So what can you do?  Teach your child ahead of time about drugs.  Teach your child how to set boundaries and feel good about themselves after the boundary has been set.   And, keep an open line of communication, always.

The symptomology of various mental illnesses can vary depending on the disorder and other variables.  Symptoms can include physical problems, emotional expression, cognitive ability and behavior.

Types of mental illness include bipolar affective disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, anxiety attack symptoms, types of depression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, childhood disorders, and cognitive disorders.

Anxiety or fear that affects normal functioning may be an anxiety disorder.  Some categories of anxiety include Social Anxiety Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder symptoms (OCD symptoms).

When a person experiences not just the occasional winter blues but an unusual degree of sadness or despair they may be suffering from Clinical Depression.

When a person’s belief’s, language and way they perceive become disordered they may have a psychotic disorder.  For instance, they may be schizophrenic or have a delusional disorder.

There are disorders that seem to originate in the body, but are thought to be related to mental state.  These are referred to as somatoform disorders.

When a person has a problem with memory and thinking they may have a cognitive disorder.  There are many cognitive related illnesses, two of which include amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease.

There are other disorders that involve human functioning like eating disorders, sleep disorders, substance abuse and addictive disorders like gambling.

The causes of mental illnesses are not completely understood.  Problems come about from a combination of biochemical, biological, and environmental sources.

Biochemical causes are connected to the natural chemical processes in the body; therefore, some experts think of mental illness as a brain disorder.  In fact in imaging studies people with mental illness actually have different characteristics in their brains then those people who do not have mental illness.

In terms of biology, researchers believe that people who have a family history of mental illness may be more susceptible to it and the symptoms are more likely to express themselves under stressful life situations.

Environmental factors may play a role as well.  When there are hard to resolve difficult situations, like chronic illness, people can be more susceptible to emotional challenges short and long term.

How is one tested for mental illness?  There is not one test that determines whether someone has a mental illness, for instance there is not a  “bipolar test” to test for bipolar disorder.  Instead there are psychological and medical tests that aid in ruling out other causes for the symptoms.  The procedures include a physical exam, laboratory tests and psychological evaluations with a health care practitioner.  Some of the topics your doctor is likely to discuss with you are your feelings and behaviors.  They may have a depression chat, a chat about depression and the ways depression hurts.

If you believe you may be suffering from a mental illness please speak with your doctor.  In order to get an accurate diagnosis it is helpful to speak with a doctor who is quite familiar with the mental health field.

Are you always on the go?  Do you fall asleep with your contacts still in your eyes?  If so there are contacts that can keep up with you day and night!

On the other hand, do your eyes sometimes feel dried out and uncomfortable?  Do you have depression when your eyes hurt?  Do you like to have your eyes contact free when you sleep?  If the answer is yes you are in luck.  There are contacts just right for you!

What about astigmatism?  Do you have cheap plastic glasses that break when they fall?  Is your goal to have vision that is consistently clear and comfortable and not to wear glasses?  Guess what?  There are contacts that can help you meet your goals.

How about age related challenges with your eye site?  Are you over 40 and having difficulty reading fine print?  Do you need reading glasses?  Do you want to see clearly near and far?  Contacts, with color or without, can be just what you need.

Color contacts come in different types of tints and colors.

Visibility tint:  often a pale blue or green tint added to a lens so that you can see the contact if you drop it.  Because the tint is so light in color it does not effect eye color.

Enhancing tints: these are a solid colored contacts but you can see through them. They are best for lighter colored eyes and accent the original color.

Color tints:  contacts that are single colors like green contact lenses, blue contact lenses, and even red contact lenses which some people wear as costume “jewelry” during Halloween and on Valentine’s Day.  These solid colored tints are best for those with dark eyes.

Before buying contact lenses you will need a contact lens prescription which you can get from your doctor.

There are a few myths out there that should be cleared up.

Clear lenses and colored contact lenses can not get lost behind the eye.  It’s physically impossible.  That’s because there is a thin membrane covering your eye and it connects to the inside part of your eyelids, so the contact lens can’t move from your eye’s front surface.

Another myth to clear up is can lenses pop out of the eye?  Almost never, not with the correct fitting.  Occasionally a soft contact moves out of place but does not pop out of the eye, and you can put the lens back in place by yourself.

Where can you buy these lenses?  One online source is Lens.com.

There are many colored lenses to choose from.  You should have fun finding those that are best for you!

Alcoholism is a chronic illness that occurs when your body becomes dependent on alcohol.  You are unable to control your urges to drink despite the fact that your actions might be negatively affecting yourself and others.

There are those whose excessive drinking causes problems to their health and their social life but they have not lost control over their behavior.  This is called “alcohol abuse”.

Alcohol addiction and abuse is treatable through medications, self-help groups, and counseling among other therapies.

Many alcoholics deny they have a problem.  The following is a list of some signs to look for for both alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

• Do you keeping alcohol in secret places like the car or at work?
• Is your drinking negatively effecting your workplace productivity, relationships and finances?
• Are you “blacking out”.  Not remembering commitments or people you’ve spoken with?
• Are you losing interest in things you used to enjoy?
• Are you drinking by yourself?
• If you have no alcohol do you experience physical withdrawals like shaking and sweating?

If you are not sure whether you have a problem ask yourself these four questions.

• Do you drink alcohol first thing in the morning?
• Do you get frustrated when others comment on your drinking practices?
• Do you have a bad conscience about your drinking?
• Do you think that you’re drinking too much?

A yes answer to two, or maybe even one, of those questions above indicates that you likely have a problem.

Addiction to alcohol happens slowly.  By drinking excessively, over time, chemicals in the body change so that the body craves alcohol to make it feel better again.

There are a variety of causes that can make one more susceptible to problems with alcohol.  These include genetics and emotional well being.  For instance, concerning emotional well being, problems can include office stress, anxiety sometimes accompanied with anxiety attack symptoms, different types of depression and stress.  Plus if you are around others who drink and help create an atmosphere of tolerance then it could be harder for you to decrease your drinking.

There are several risk factors.  These include history in the family of this illness, sex (women are less likely then men to become addicted), your genes, if you started drinking by age 16 (you are more likely to have a more severe problem if you start drinking by age 16 or earlier).  And if you have mental disorders including depression, anxiety or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  In fact, those with mental illness may create their own depression treatment or ways to overcome anxiety by trying to drink away their painful feelings.

There is not an alcohol test to diagnose whether you are an alcoholic.  In order to find out if you have an alcohol problem you will need to have at least a few of the symptoms as listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

If you are having adverse side effects from alcohol but are not dependent then the goal of treatment is to decrease problems related to alcohol.  These can include psychological therapy or brief intervention, possibly from an alcohol-abuse specialist who may come up with a treatment plan.  Other interventions can include behavior modification techniques, goal setting and self-help manuals.  If you have alcoholism then treatment at a rehab center and alcohol detox might be necessary, plus you will need to stop drinking alcohol permanently in order to have increasing productivity.  But there are medications and other methods to help you along the way.

How the eyes track a moving object can indicate problems with the neural circuitry of the brain and appears to correspond to some mental disorders.  For example, those who are schizophrenic have trouble keeping their eyes focused on objects that are slow-moving.

John Sweeney, director of the Center for Cognitive Medicine in UIC’s department of psychiatry, and his  colleagues are spearheading a research study that is being funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.  They are studying and cataloging eye movement patterns in patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia in order to begin to validate eye movement problems as indicators for a variety of brain diseases.  New technologies allow researchers to precisely measure these abnormalities compared to normal patterns.

“Psychiatric illnesses are not well understood neurologically”, said Sweeney.  The goal of Sweeney and his colleagues is to develop eye movement tests for diagnosing brain disorders.  Tests for many of these illnesses don’t exist today.  For instance there is no scientific bipolar test.  However the field is still in its infancy.

During a child’s development, between ages 8 to 15, the brain undergoes significant changes that affect eye movement control.  Sweeney and his team have been studying eye movement patterns in this age group for 20 years and have been documenting the course of brain and cognitive development during this period.

A variety of tasks test the function of various parts of the brain that control cognitive function and, not necessarily vision, but eye movements.

“Eye movement studies provide a noninvasive way to gain a deeper understanding of the brain dysfunctions at the root of psychiatric illnesses”, said Sweeney.  “We are following patients over time to monitor the progression of their disease and determine whether different treatments are improving their brain and cognitive function.”

Hopefully treatment will be created so that those with mental illness are able to have increasing productivity.

Technorati tags: schizophrenic, depression, bipolar, cognitive, vision, increasing productivity