Chronic Effects of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abusers suffer from a wide range of medical ills:

Body Systems and Organs Affected	Complications
Nervous system	o Intoxication with drunkenness and coma o Withdrawal syndromes, sometimes with seizures or delirium tremens (DTs) o Brain wasting (dementia) o Nerve damage o Cerebellar degeneration (deterioration of the cerebellum, the area of the brain concerned with muscle coordination and balance)

Gastrointestinal	o Inflammation and irritation of the lining of the esophagus and stomach (esophagitis and gastritis) o Increased incidence of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus o Liver damage, such as cirrhosis or alcoholic hepatitis o Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), sometimes leading to pancreatic failure, chronic diarrhea, and/or chronic pain

Cardiovascular	o Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) o Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle causing an enlarged heart, which can lead to heart failure and death o Elevated fats in the bloodstream

Metabolic	o Low blood sugar o Lower than normal levels of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphate in the blood

Endocrine	o Decreased testosterone o Testicular atrophy causing an increase in estrogen and thus the development of breast tissue in men (gynocomatia)

Skin	o Rosacea (you know this as W. C. Fields's nose) o Spider angiomas (harmless collections of small blood vessels under the skin often seen in men with liver failure from alcohol)

Blood	o Low platelets o Anemia o Risk of infection o Impaired blood clotting

Lots More Information