Eli5 Why shouldn’t I drink alcohol before surgery?
In: 50
Let me try an explanation for a 5 year old. Also, im an anesthesia provider.
Anesthesia drugs are some of the most potent drugs in regards to the function of your brain. Adding ANY substance that changes the way your brain functions causes DRAMATIC changes in how the medications affect you. Therefore, it makes it way to easy to kill you.
Big science time: there is a thing called ED50 and LD50. That means the Effective Dose to get the desired effect of a drug in 50% of the population, and the Lethal Dose in 50% of people. For most medications the ED50:LD50 ratio is big, like 1:50. So one dose of a drug is effective for 50% of people and 50 doses will kill 50% of people. For most anesthetic drugs the ratio is closer to 1:2-1:3.
Now throw in some alcohol, or weed, or cocaine, or whatever the kids are into these days. And it becomes really easy to kill somebody.
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