Medical Consequences of Alcohol Use

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Medical Consequences of Alcohol Use
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Medical consequences of heavy, long term drinking

• Every system, organ and tissue is adversely
  affected by alcohol misuse
• Alcohol mediated tissue damage is synergistic
  with toxin exposure (tobacco, cocaine, other
  drugs), nutritional impairment, and infections
  (hepatitis B and C)
• Genetic vulnerability, including gender (female)
• Abstinence reverses or improves damage to most
  tissues/organs

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The Brain
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• HEALTHY BRAIN
• Healthy
• Happy
• Effective
• Consistent
• Reliable
• Successful

• ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSED BRAIN
• Unhealthy
• Sad
• Troubled
• Inconsistent
• Unreliable
• Unsuccessful

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Underage Drinking

• Comparative study of 14 youth with alcohol-use
  disorders and 17 healthy youth revealed smaller
  hippocampal memory areas than do non-drinkers.
• Teens with alcohol-use disorders have greater
  activity in areas of the brain linked to
• Reward
• Desire
• Positive Effect
• Episodic recall in response to alcohol
  advertisements

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BRAIN DAMAGE

• Comparative look at a normal brain and that of an
  alcoholic

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Medical Aspects and Health Problems Associated
with Alcohol Use

• Pancreatitis
• Gastritis
• Duodenal Ulcer
• Cancer of the Esophagus
• Alcoholic Hepatitis
• Cirrhosis of the Liver
• Varicose Veins of the Esophagus
• Delirium Tremors
• Neuritis
• Impotency

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PANCREATITIS

• The pancreas is a small organ located in the
  abdomen. It produces insulin (controls glucose
  levels) and the digestive enzymes vital to life.
  Inflammation of the pancreas causes severe
  abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

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GASTRITIS

• Heavy drinking is the most common cause of
  inflammation of the stomach. The lining becomes
  reddened, with bleeding in areas, covered with
  thick, ropy mucus. Symptoms include nausea,
  vomiting, headache, and stomach pains.

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DUODENAL ULCER

• The duodenum is the first part of the small
  intestine to receive food from the stomach.
  Ulcers can cause bleeding, obstruction, and
  perforation, which may be fatal.

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ESOPHOGEAL CANCER

• Alcohol causes drinkers to have far greater rates
  of cancer of the esophagus than non-drinkers.
  Cancer causes difficulty in swallowing and a
  sensation of blockage behind the sternum.
  Surgery is the only treatment, and the mortality
  rate is high.

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ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

• This condition is characterized by fever,
  jaundice, swelling in the abdomen, and swelling
  of the feet. The liver is generally large, firm,
  tender, and infiltrated with fat. Many patients
  die from this illness some recover, and others
  go on to develop cirrhosis of the liver.

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CIRRHOSIS

• Cirrhosis is the 7th leading cause of death in
  America, and alcohol is the leading cause of
  cirrhosis. The cut surface of the liver may
  enlarge or shrink, depending on the stage of the
  disease. The outside is frequently rough and
  wrinkled like a prune. Symptoms include loss of
  weight, chronic nausea, vomiting, weakness, loss
  of sex drive, abdominal pains, bloating of the
  abdomen, and bleeding.

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VARICOSE VEINS OF THE ESOPHAGUS

• Cirrhosis of the liver produces an increase in
  blood pressure in the veins of the esophagus.
  This pressure causes the veins to become
  stretched and dilated, or varicose. Death from
  internal hemorrhaging may occur if ballooned-out
  veins rupture.

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DELERIUM TREMENS

• Withdrawal from alcohol can cause physical
  emotional suffering worse than withdrawal from
  heroin. The DTs begin with tremors, sweating,
  and nausea, and progress to insomnia, profound
  confusion, delusions, hallucinations, and
  convulsions. This serious complication may be
  fatal for about 10 of its victims.

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NEURITIS

• Prolonged intake of alcohol has a direct,
  poisonous effect on the nerves in the arms and
  legs. Symptoms include tingling, sensation of
  pins and needles, itching, numbness, weakness,
  and paralysis. Treatment involves complete
  abstinence from alcohol, improved nutrition, and
  vitamin supplements.

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IMPOTENCY

• Impotency refers to the inability of a man to
  sustain an erection satisfactory for normal
  sexual intercourse. Alcohol is one of the most
  common causes. With acute Intoxication, it may be
  caused by the depressant effect of the drug.
  With chronic use, it may be caused by neuritis,
  liver damage, malnutrition, or other
  complications.

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Alcohol Abuse often leads to other problems to
include

• Drug use and abuse
• Crimes and violent behavior
• Suicidal and Homicidal behavior
• Child neglect and abuse
• Birth Defect (Physical Mental)

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SUICIDE

• Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in
  America and the third leading cause of death in
  people below the age of 30. Alcohol is a factor
  in more than 60 of all suicide attempts.

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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
gt10 of children exposed in utero 7-14
drinks/wk (particularly gt 5 per occasion) can
cause moderate damage
Results growth deficiency, mental
retardation/intellectual impairment, attentional
learning disabilities, behavioral problems
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CHILD ABUSE

• Approximately 1 in every 100 American children is
  severely physically, sexually, emotionally
  abused at least once. Excessive drinking by the
  abuser is a major factor in a large majority of
  these cases.

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MURDER

• Murder is the twelfth leading cause of death in
  America, and the leading cause of death in people
  below the age of 30. Alcohol is implicated in
  more than 70 of all murders and other violent
  crimes.

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Summary

• Alcohol Abuse and Drug use is the 1 social
  problem we face today.
• The physical cost is horrendous (Billions) and
  emotional cost is priceless.
• Prevention through education and your ability and
  determination to make the RIGHT choice is key to
  a healthier you and community.

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Comments/Questions

• Contact your Joint Forces Prevention
  Coordinator for additional training, information,
  or treatment referral resources.
• MSgt Mark Lord
• Idaho Counterdrug
• Prevention Coordinator
• 208-272-4140 - Office
• 208-514-5143 - Cell