Alcohol Information >> Serious Information on Alcohol
Serious Information on Alcohol
All joking aside now, there are some pretty serious repercussions of prolonged alcohol intake. We hope you find the below to be both informative and "sobering"...Healthy This is the external surface of a normal liver. The color is brown and the surface is smooth. A normal liver is about 1200 to 1600 grams. |
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Unhealthy Ongoing liver damage with liver cell necrosis followed by fibrosis and hepatocyte regeneration results in cirrhosis. This produces a nodular, firm liver. The nodules seen here are larger than 3 mm and, hence, this is an example of "macronodular" cirrhosis. |
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The Royal College of Physicians report summarises the medical complications of excess alcohol as follows:-
Nervous System
Acute intoxication
'black-outs'
Persistent brain damage:
Wernicke's encephalopathy
Korsakoff's syndrome
cerebellar degeneration
dementia
Cerebrovascular disease:
strokes, especially in young people
subarachnoid haemorrhage
subdural haemotoma after head injury
Withdrawal symptoms:
tremor
hallucinations
fits
Nerve and muscle damage:
weakness,
paralysis,
burning sensation in hands and feet
Liver
Infiltration of liver with fat
Alcoholic hepatitis
Cirrhosis and eventual liver failure
Liver cancer
Gastrointestinal System
Reflux of acid into the oesophagus
Tearing and occasionally rupture of the oesophagus
Cancer of the oesophagus
Gastritis
Aggravation and impaired healing of peptic ulcers
Diarrhoea and impaired absorption of food
Chronic inflammation of the pancreas leading in some to diabetes and malabsorption of food.
Nutrition
Malnutrition from reduced intake of food, toxic effects of alcohol on intestine, and impaired metabolism, leading to weight loss
Obesity.
Heart and Circulatory System
Abnormal rhythms
High blood pressure
Chronic heart muscle damage leading to heart failure
Respiratory System
Fractured rib
Pneumonia from inhalation of vomit
Overproduction of cortisol leading to obesity, acne, increased facial hair, and high blood pressure
Condition mimicking over-activity of the thyroid with loss of weight, anxiety, palpitations, sweating, and tremor
Severe fall in blood sugar, sometimes leading to coma
Intense facial flushing in many diabetics taking the anti-diabetic drug chlorpropamide.
Reproductive System
In men, loss of libido, reduced potency, shrinkage in size of testes and penis, reduced or absent sperm formation and so infertility, and loss of sexual hair
In women, sexual difficulties, menstrual irregularities, and shrinkage of breasts and external genitalia
Occupation and Accidents
Impaired work performance and decision making
Increased risk and severity of accidents
The Foetus, the child and the Family
Damage to the fetus and the fetal alcohol syndrome
Acute intoxication in young children produces hypothermia, low blood sugar levels, depressed respiration.
Effect on physical development and behaviour of child through heavy drinking by parents
Interaction of alcohol with medicinal substances
Increased likelihood of unwanted effects of drugs
Reduced effectiveness of medicines.
(Source: Royal College of Physicians: A Great and Growing Evil - The Medical Consequences of Alcohol Abuse. 1987)