A new blood-flow pharmacokinetic model for ethanol.

A multicompartmental mathematical model, taking into account observed vascular concentration gradients and blood flow rate limitations, has been proposed. Based on blood flows and blood and tissue volumes reported in the literature and in personal communications, an appropriate model was elaborated for ethanol in the dog. The relatively high values of r2 and a correlation coefficient determined for the simultaneous computer fitting of mean observed blood ethanol concentration, time data from two administered doses, support the proposed model. While the surgery is prohibitive for human experimentation, correlations may be extended to man. The elaboration of a more complete multicompartmental model for ethanol should prove beneficial in revealing the relationships among the doses of alcohol, the circulating blood ethanol concentrations, and physiological and psychomotor test parameters.