Nate Lowe, PhD', LMSW, SAP

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Nate Lowe, PhD., LMSW, SAP

• Drug Demand Reduction Program
• MCAS Miramar San Diego, CA
• 858-577-4411
• DSN 267-4411
• Nathaniel.lowe_at_usmc.mil

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Presentation Objectives

• At the end of this presentation you will
• 1. Know the American Medical Association
• (AMA) definition of a disease
• 2. Know the behavioral (psychological) risk
  
• factors and symptoms
• 3. Know the medical aspects and other
• health problems associated with addiction
• 4. Know other problems associated with
• addiction

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AMA criteria for a disease

• 1. It has a known etiology
• Alcoholism/Drug Addiction has a
• known cause or causes, most of
• which are biological in nature.

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AMA criteria for a disease

• 2. It is progressive in nature
• The illness is predictable and is
• progressive and only get worse with
• time.

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AMA criteria for a disease

• 3. It will result in death if the symptoms and
• progressive factors are not arrested
• The disease is permanent, incurable and
• leads to death if untreated. The disease
  
• can only be arrested by discontinuing
• drinking and seeking treatment to our
• knowledge there is no known cure.

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Medical Aspects and Health Problems Associated
with Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

• 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 lying in the
uppermost portion of the abdomen, stretching from
the duodenum on the right to the spleen on the
left. It produces insulin and the digestive
enzymes vital to life. Inflammation of the
pancreas is a serious illness marked by severe
abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Alcohol is
poisonous.
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GASTRITIS
Heavy drinking is the most common cause of
serious inflammation of the lining of the
stomach. The mucosa becomes reddened, with
bleeding in areas covered with thick, ropy mucus.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, and
stomach pains.
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DUODENAL ULCERS
The duodenum is the first part of the small
intestine to receive food from the stomach.
Ulcers develop here for the same reason they
develop in the stomach. Bleeding, obstruction,
and perforation may be fatal complications of
duodenal ulcers if patients continue to drink.
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CANCER OF THE ESPHAGUS
An unknown chemical quality in alcoholic beverage
causes alcoholics to have a far greater chance of
developing cancer of the esophagus than
non-alcoholics. Cancer causes difficulty in
swallowing and a sensation of blockage behind the
sternum. Surgery is the only treatment, and the
cure rate is very low.
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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 general 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 seventh 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 a secondary
increase in blood pressure in the veins of the
esophagus the food tube leading from the throat
to the stomach. 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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DELIRIUM TREMENS
Withdrawal from alcohol can cause physical and
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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Prolonged intake of alcohol has a direct,
poisonous effect on the nerves in the arms and
legs. Symptoms include tingling, the sensation
of pins and needles, itching, numbness, weakness,
and paralysis. Treatment involves complete
abstinence from alcohol, improved nutrition, and
the taking of vitamin supplements.
NEURITIS
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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 of impotency. The belief that
alcohol is an aphrodisiac, or sexual stimulant,
is pure non-sense. In acute alcoholism,
impotency may be caused by the depressant effect
of the drug. In chronic alcoholism, impotency
may be caused by neuritis, liver damage,
malnutrition, or other complications.
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NARCOTICS
AIDS
The termnarcotic generally refers to opium and
to pain-killing drugs made of opium. These
include heroin, morphine, and codeine. Codeine
is legally, but not medically, classified in the
United States, but is an illicit narcotic drug.
Narcotics depress the brain and result in
feelings of pleasure, strength and superiority,
followed by lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, and
depression of the heart rate.
Intravenous (IV) drug users risk exposure to the
AIDS virus when they use or share contaminated
needles. IV drug users form the group with the
fastest growing number of persons with AIDS
(PWAs).
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SERUM HEPATITIS
Inflammation of the liver is one of the most
common problems seen in heroin addicts. It is
caused by a virus which is transmitted from one
person to another through contaminated needles.
The liver becomes swollen, and irregular patters
of light-colored inflammation can be seen seen
scattered throughout. Hepatitis causes weakness,
loss of appetite, tenderness in the abdomen,
dark-colored urine, and a yellowish change in the
color of the skin and whites of the eyes.
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PULMONARY EMBOLISM
A dangerous complication can occur when blood
cloths in the veins of an addicts arms break off
and float through the bloodstream to the heart
and lungs. A well-formed blood clot can be seen
extending almost completely through the course of
this pulmonary artery within the lungs. This
patient will die because the blood cloth has shut
off the blood supply to the lungs.
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When germs are injected into the bloodstream from
an unsterile needle, they may travel through the
body and lodge in the brain. In this
illustration, note the ragged, abscessed cavity
filled with pus. High fever, convulsions, coma,
and death are signs of a brain abscess.
BRAIN ABSCESS
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BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS
If germs enter the bloodstream
from an unclean needle, they may spread
throughout the body and lodge in the valves of
the heart, causing a serious infection know as
bacterial edocarditis. The warty-like growths
seen on these heart valves produce symptoms of
fever, weakness, heart failure, and death.
SHOWER OF CLOTS
Tiny showers of clots and bacteria may be
released from the growths on the infected heart
valves. They may then spread to the kidneys and
spleen. The results of these showers are seen as
multiple red spots in the kidney, and as a
grayish area of dead tissue at the uppermost
portion of the spleen. This usually results in
the death of a drug user.
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BLOOD CLOTS
When an addicts veins are repeatedly punctured,
particularly by unsterile needles, blood clots
and scarring may occur within the veins.
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Other Problems associated with Alcohol Abuse and
Drug Use

• Birth Defect (Physical Mental)
• Crimes
• Child Abuse
• Suicide

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BIRTH DEFECTS
Children born to women who have taken drugs
during their pregnancy may be stillborn, or
afflicted with multiple birth defects. This
child has a right club foot, a missing right
hand, a cleft palate and harelip, and internal
abnormalities. Birth defects may be caused by
many drugs. Pregnant women should avoid all
drugs, including alcohol, especially during their
first three months of their pregnancy.
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BIRTH DEFECTS
Many babies born of alcoholic women develop
abnormally, because alcohol passes through the
bloodstream of the mother into the uterus and
placenta and directly into the unborn child.
Such children are underweight, and their brain
size is less than normal. Their hearts may not
be completely developed, and they may have a
cleft palate. These babies continue to grow at a
slow pace after birth and end up as smaller
adults. Pregnant women should avoid all drugs,
including alcohol, especially the first three
months of pregnancy.
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CHILD ABUSE
Approximately 1 in every 100 American children is
severely physically, sexually psychologically
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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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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• Thank you for your time and attention
• SEMPER FI!