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Alcohol, Damage

Heavy alcohol consumption can cause significant health issues and social problems. It is associated with increased risks of several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver damage, fetal alcohol syndrome, and psychiatric morbidity. Specifically, drinking more than recommended limits increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast and more. It can also lead to high blood pressure, strokes, heart problems, and damage to the pancreas and liver. Heavy drinking is linked to divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, and other social consequences. Overall, the more a person drinks, the worse the potential health risks and damage become.

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35 views

Alcohol, Damage

Heavy alcohol consumption can cause significant health issues and social problems. It is associated with increased risks of several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver damage, fetal alcohol syndrome, and psychiatric morbidity. Specifically, drinking more than recommended limits increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast and more. It can also lead to high blood pressure, strokes, heart problems, and damage to the pancreas and liver. Heavy drinking is linked to divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, and other social consequences. Overall, the more a person drinks, the worse the potential health risks and damage become.

Uploaded by

sunkissedchiffon
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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damage caused by alcohol:

introduction: alcohol causes damage in a number of areas accidents,


relationships, finances, and health. This page concentrates particularly on health and social damage, but its well worth realising that a man who drinks 5 units of alcohol daily (35 units per week) doubles his risk of dying a violent death. He is also twice as likely as a man drinking 21 units or less per week to develop liver disease, high blood pressure, and several different cancers. There is increased risk too for men and women drinking over the recommended limit (21 units per week for men and 14 units per week for women) not only of developing liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, and raised blood pressure, but also heart problems, damage to the pancreas, and sexual difficulties. About 1 in 4 men, and about 1 in 7 women, drink more than the safe limit. In general, the more you drink the worse the damage. Specifically:

cancer: alcohol causes an increased risk of squamous cancers of the


oropharynx, larynx and oesophagus (linear dose-response relationship). Heavy alcohol consumption is assoc-iated with cancers of the liver, stomach, colon, rectum, lung, and pancreas, and may be associated with breast cancer [Health Education Authority, 1997].

cardiovascular disease: excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of


high blood pressure (binge drinking may be particularly implicated), haemorrhagic stroke, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias. Alcohol consumption of 1-2 units per day is believed to have a cardioprotective effect in men over 40 years and postmenopausal women and to protect against ischaemic stroke [Health Education Authority, 1997].

liver damage: in people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol, liver


damage is common. Fatty liver, present in 90% of persistently heavy drinkers, is usually asymptomatic. Alcoholic hepatitis occurs in about 40% of heavy drinkers and is often the precursor to cirrhosis. Between 8% and 30% of long-term heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis. [Health Education Authority,1997; Society for the Study of Addiction, 1999].

risk to the fetus: maternal consumption of 15 units/week or more has been


associated with a reduction in birth weight. Consumption in excess of 20 units/week is associated with intellectual impairment in children. Fetal alcohol syndrome (brain damage, prenatal and post-natal growth retardation and facial malformations) is relatively uncommon even among heavily drinking pregnant women. It occurs in approximately a third of children born to women who drink about 18 units/day [RCOG, 1996].

psychiatric morbidity: this is common in heavy drinkers (excess of 10 units


per day) and includes depression; suicide and attempted suicide; personality deterioration; sexual problems; hallucinations (auditory and visual, usually during withdrawal, but sometimes occurring without the other features of delirium tremens, and also rarer, distressing auditory hallucinations occurring in clear consciousness); alcohol dependence; amnesia; intellectual impairment; & delirium tremens [Ashworth and Gerada, 1997; Health Education Authority, 1997]. social consequences: it has been estimated that 30% of divorces, 40% of domestic violence & 20% of child abuse cases are associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking is also associated with workplace absenteeism, financial problems and homelessness [Health Education Authority, 1997].

other serious medical complications: include gastrointestinal


haemorrhage, pancreatitis, & neurological problems such as fits, neuropathy, acute confusional states, subdural haematoma, Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis.

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