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Study 1 was a randomized controlled trial. Study 2 was a cohort study.
Sixteen science students (laparoscopic novices) participated in study 1. Eight laparoscopic experts participated in study 2.
All participants were trained on the Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer Virtual Reality (MIST-VR). The participants in study 1 were randomized to either abstain from alcohol or consume alcohol until intoxicated. All study 2 subjects freely consumed alcohol until intoxicated. Subjects were assessed the following day at 9 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM on MIST-VR tasks.
Assessment measures included time, economy of diathermy use, and error scores. …
Excessive consumption of alcohol appeared to degrade surgical performance the following day even at 4 PM, suggesting the need to define recommendations regarding alcohol consumption the night before assuming clinical surgical responsibilities. Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/19/11)

As more states move to ban caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs), a new research review highlights the mounting evidence on the health risks associated with combining alcohol and energy drinks, ScienceDaily reported Nov. 30.
In an effort to determine the extent of CAB use and its health consequences — and outline future research needs — a team of researchers led by Jonathan Howland, PhD, chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at the Boston University School of Public Health, examined statistical evidence from 44 sources.
In one study, compared with patrons who drank regular alcoholic drinks, people who drank CABs were three times more likely to leave a nightclub „highly intoxicated“ and four times more likely to leave with the intention of driving. (Source: Join Together, 12/03/10)

Increase In Alcohol-Related Traffic-Risk Behaviors Among College Students At Age 21.
Alcohol-impaired driving and associated motor-vehicle accidents are a major public-health problem. National studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of college students report that they have driven while intoxicated in the past month, and an even greater percentage report having driven after having any amount of alcohol and/or ridden with a driver believed intoxicated. A new study on how these behaviors may change as students move through their college years has found that prevalence and frequency of alcohol-related traffic-risk behaviors took a significant upturn when students turned 21 years old. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/1/10)

Energy drinks, favored among young people for the beverages‘ caffeine jolt, also play a lead role in several popular alcoholic drinks, such as Red Bull and vodka. But combining alcohol and energy drinks may create a dangerous mix, according to University of Florida research. In a study of college-aged adults exiting bars, patrons who consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol had a threefold increased risk of leaving a bar highly intoxicated and were four times more likely to intend to drive after drinking than bar patrons who drank alcohol only. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/11/10)

A new iPhone application helps users keep track of their blood-alcohol content (BAC) and sends warning messages if data indicates the user is „buzzed“ or legally intoxicated. The Denver Post reported Dec. 2 that the free R-U-Buzzed? application developed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) calculates BAC based on information about the user’s weight, sex, type and amount of alcohol consumed, and number of hours spent drinking. If the application determines that the user’s BAC is over the legal limit of .08 percent, an anti drunk-driving warning flashes: „Don’t even think about it.“ (Source: Join Together, 12/10/09) See also our entry on 12/9/09 from the U.K.

Driving while impaired (DWI) contributes significantly to road-traffic crashes, and is involved in more than one-third of all fatalities. Many DWI recidivists – drinking drivers who re-offend – do not participate in mandated alcohol-evaluation and intervention programs or else continue to drink problematically after their licenses have been re-issued. A comparison of the effects of two interventions on DWI recidivists with alcohol problems found that one – Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) – was more effective. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/21/09)

Seeking to close a loophole in the city’s already tough gun laws, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to make it illegal to carry a gun while drunk. „Carrying while intoxicated is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, and it should be just as illegal,“ said Bloomberg, who also called for possession of armor-piercing bullets and giving a gun to a child to be classified as felony offenses. (Source: Join Together, 9/11/09)

Researchers who studied the relationship between alcohol cost and intoxication concluded that drink specials encourage high levels of consumption, rather than just attracting customers to bars as some in the hospitality industry contend. The New York Times reported Sept. 2 that researchers who studied male and female drinkers at bars near college campuses found that those who paid the most money per gram of alcohol consumed were the least intoxicated when given breath tests upon exiting. The least intoxicated patrons paid an average of $4.44 for 14 grams of alcohol (in the form of beer, wine or liquor), while those found to be the drunkest had paid $1.81 for the same amount of alcohol. (Source: Join Together, 9/3/09) Comment: It is common sense, but now it is proven. That’s why high alcohol taxes and minimum prices are needed and a ban on drink specials.

HERE are two compelling facts about ignition-interlock devices for preventing drunk driving. One is that these devices are highly effective, despite the logical possibilities for bypassing them. The second is that they are rarely installed in the cars of people who have been known to drive while intoxicated.
People driving while intoxicated still cause about 13,000 deaths a year in the United States. And of the 1.4 million arrests made, one-third involve repeat offenders. The greatest potential of ignition interlocks is to reduce this recidivism. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/3/09) New York Times-Opinion, 8/31/09

Excessive drinking is deeply ingrained in military culture, and service members are more likely than the general public to drive drunk, drink while underage, and be intoxicated while on duty, according to a study from the University of Minnesota and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: Join Together, 6/13/09)

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