A 40-year-old manager, at a prominent legalfirm in L.A., experiences abdominal pain post lunch. He goes to therestroom a couple of times, but continues to experience pain andcramps. He eventually decides to get himself examined. Whilequestioning him, you learn that he consumed two bottles of beer atlunch. The alcohol (ethyl alcohol/ethanol) content in a bottle ofbeer is about 5%. The man's weight is 150 lbs and he was drinkingover an hour period.
- State the chemical reaction that took place in the patient'sbody.
- Identify the substance produced in the liver that helpscatalyze this reaction.