According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, the prevalence of alcohol dependence is between 8 and 14 percent, making alcoholism the most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. Health problems related to alcoholism are vast and include medical disease of every organ system, social problems and psychiatric issues. For this reason, diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism is extremely important.
Significance
According to the Mayo Clinic, alcoholism is a chronic disease in which a person is dependent on alcohol and in which the person does not have control over the drinking behavior. Long-term drinking causes damage to the liver, stomach, bone marrow and other organ systems. It also causes changes in the chemicals in the brain, resulting in emotional and psychiatric disturbances. These changes make it difficult for a patient to quit drinking alcohol even when he wants to. With proper treatment and support, however, many patients with alcoholism are able to quit drinking.
Medical Health Problems
Multiple medical health problems are caused by chronic alcohol use. Damage to the liver, nerves, heart and stomach can occur. Long-term alcohol exposure can cause scarring of the liver, or cirrhosis, and can ultimately cause liver failure and death. The risk of heart attack and stroke is higher in an alcoholic patient. According to the AAFP, patients with a history of alcohol abuse are also at higher risk of developing cancers, such as cancer of the liver or esophagus. The AAFP states that heavy alcohol use during pregnancy can have dire consequences to the fetus, including mental retardation, learning disabilities, behavioral issues and growth issues.
Psychiatric Health Problems
Alcoholism influences psychiatric issues in a variety of ways. Depression and anxiety are more common in patients with alcoholism, and these disorders are more difficult to treat when a patient is still consuming alcohol. This is likely secondary to chemical changes in the brain that occur with long-term alcohol use. According to the AAFP, the familial discord, job loss and poor judgment that go along with heavy alcohol use can also make depression and anxiety more difficult to treat.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of alcoholism is particularly difficult because denial is common among patients who suffer from alcoholism. For this reason, family members are often critical in bringing alcohol abuse to the attention of a physician. A physician can help a patient determine whether he likely has alcoholism or is at risk for alcohol abuse; standardized questionnaires are available to assist in diagnosis. While laboratory tests cannot definitively diagnose a patient with alcoholism, there are certain patterns to laboratory results that make a physician more suspicious of this as a potential problem. For example, an elevation in liver function tests may indicate that the liver is inflamed as a result of alcohol abuse. Once alcoholism is diagnosed, health problems are monitored closely.
Treatment
The best way to avoid the health problems problems related to alcohol abuse is to avoid alcohol. Once the health problems develop, however, there is only partial treatment for these symptoms. Liver disease can be difficult to treat and it is important for the patient to quit drinking all alcohol and to avoid medications processed by the liver. Treatment can also be obtained for alcoholism in the form of therapy and medications that help a patient avoid alcohol abuse. Close monitoring and screening for potential health problems is a necessity for any patient with alcoholism.
