According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, moderate alcohol consumption is not harmful for most adults, although 17.6 millions American suffer from alcoholism, which can cause significant damage to the body's organs, cause birth defects and increase a person's risk of death from motor vehicle accidents and other injuries. There are numerous diseases caused by alcohol abuse. The toxic effects of alcohol can cause serious liver, heart and pancreas problems that may endanger a person's life.
Liver Cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is a disease caused by alcohol abuse. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders or NIDDK—a division of the National Institutes of Health—cirrhosis is a chronic disease that causes a person's liver to degenerate and malfunction. As cirrhosis progresses, healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, which impedes the flow of blood through the liver. Scar tissue in the liver also hinders infection control, bacterial and toxin removal from the bloodstream; nutrient processing, blood clotting protein production and bile production. NIDDK states that, in the United States, alcoholism and hepatitis C are the most common causes of liver cirrhosis, and that it takes years of chronic injury for liver scarring to take place. However, NIDDK notes that the quantity of alcohol required to cause liver damage varies considerably between people.
Cardiovascular Diseases
The Women's Heart Foundation states that, over time, heavy alcohol consumption can injure the heart and lead to hypertension or elevated blood pressure; alcoholic cardiomyopathy or an enlarged heart; congestive heart failure and even strokes. A 2003 meta-analysis by Kristi Reynolds, MPH and colleagues published in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" concludes that heavy drinking boosts the relative risk of stroke while moderate or light alcohol consumption may actually protect a person from total and ischemic stroke.
According to a 2005 study by Kenneth J. Mukamal, M.D. and colleagues published in the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine," consumption of more than two drinks per day may be associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke, which is an interruption of blood flow to the brain.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, is a condition of the pancreas that can result from alcohol abuse, though pancreatitis can result from other causes such as biliary tract disease. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC, the pancreas is an organ in the upper abdomen that assists digestion and releases the hormone insulin. UMMC notes that when the pancreas is inflamed, a person's body may not be able to absorb a sufficient quantity of nutrients, and that people who binge drink and abuse alcohol have a greater risk for developing pancreatitis. If pancreatitis is caused by alcohol abuse, treatment for alcohol addiction is an important first-line approach. Pancreatitis treatment may also involve pain management, enzyme supplements and dietary changes, according to UMMC.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Alcoholism
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders: Cirrhosis
- Women's Heart Foundation: Alcohol and Heart Disease
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Alcohol Consumption; Kristi Reynolds, MPH et al.; February 2003
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; Alcohol and Risk for Ischemic Stroke; Kenneth J. Mukamal, M.D. et al.; January 2005
