You probably took a breathalyzer test if you were arrested in Las Vegas for driving under the influence. A significant issue is that the test result might be wrong if you have heartburn. The difference between being accused or discharged from arrest might be as minor as one breathalyzer reading.
GERD is the term used for the most severe type of heartburn. This heartburn can give a highly false report on breath test devices or blood alcohol levels due to the way alcohol is absorbed and metabolized in our body at times of intoxicated driving. Similarly, if you are Injured by a drunk driver in Las Vegas, he/she will be tested through a breathalyzer test.
Can a false result be generated on a breathalyzer due to acid reflux?
GERD is a common illness in the majority of us, and you can have it if there is no confirmed official diagnosis. Due to this illness, the alcohol in the stomach seeps into the breath, which may lead to incorrect increased Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). However, some debates are still going on about how GERD can affect the breathalyzer test accuracy. In this way, you can defend yourself by using medical conditions.
How does this happen?
What if you enjoyed two glasses of wine after a dinner party and decided to return home by obeying the traffic rules and signals, only to get pulled over by the cops at the checkpoint? You may not see any major changes in your driving style and behavior after having two glasses of wine over the past few hours, and the acid reflux condition can play a significant role in such a situation.
If a cop asks you to take the field sobriety test, breathalyzer, or preliminary breathalyzer test, the acid reflux disease can hinder your blood alcohol assessment. With such an illness, the alcohol travels from your stomach through the esophagus and can increase the BAC reading, which might result in a fake positive result when the test is performed. The machines assume that the breath comes from the lungs, leading to incorrect tests.
This is the reason why some experts think that breathalyzer malfunction results can be incorrect for blood alcohol content. Alcohol may increase your blood alcohol content (BAC) as it travels up the esophagus from the stomach. A test performed during this period will be incorrect.
Putting it All Together
Indeed, acid reflux, particularly in its severe form known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), can potentially generate false results on a breathalyzer test. GERD can cause alcohol in the stomach to seep into the breath, leading to inaccurately elevated Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) readings. While debates persist on the precise impact of GERD on breathalyzer accuracy, it is acknowledged that the condition can interfere with the assessment.
In the scenario where an individual with acid reflux is subjected to a breathalyzer test, the alcohol’s journey from the stomach through the esophagus may result in an inflated BAC reading. The breathalyzer machines assume that the breath originates from the lungs, leading to potentially incorrect test results. This is a critical consideration for individuals facing DUI charges, as a false positive result could have significant legal consequences. Experts argue that breathalyzer malfunctions may occur when alcohol increases the BAC as it travels up the esophagus from the stomach, emphasizing the importance of considering medical conditions like acid reflux in defense against inaccurate readings.
