MedlinePlus, an online medical encyclopedia maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, reports that alcoholism is a disease characterized by four features relating to alcohol: craving, loss of control, physical dependence and high tolerance. According to MedlinePlus, an estimated 17.6 million people in the United States are alcoholics. Excessive use of alcohol can have multiple detrimental effects on many of the body's organs. When alcoholism is very advanced, a person is in the end stages of alcoholism.
Liver Disorders
People with end stage alcoholism typically have liver disorders. Merck Manuals, an online medical library, reports that chronic alcohol intake can lead to multiple disorders of the liver. Among people who chronically abuse alcohol, more than 90 percent have a fatty liver, 10 to 35 percent have hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), and 10 to 20 percent have cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). Chronic alcohol use over an extended period of time may also lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) in certain individuals, according to Merck Manuals. People affected by liver disorders have usually abused alcohol for over eight years.
Esophageal Varices
People with end stage alcoholism are also at risk for developing esophageal varices (enlarged veins), which may rupture, causing bleeding into the gastrointestinal system. The Mayo Clinic reports that esophageal varices can be caused by cirrhosis of the liver, which is in turn caused by chronic excessive alcohol use. The symptoms of esophageal varices include vomiting blood, low blood pressure, lightheadedness, excessive thirst and decreased urination. In severe cases, the person may go into shock.
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) reports that another condition that occurs in the end stages of alcoholism is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This syndrome is often colloquially called "wet brain." It is a degenerative brain disorder, with symptoms such as: confusion, disorientation and amnesia; impairment of vision; severe and persistent vomiting; low blood pressure; inability to control muscle movements (ataxia). People with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome are impaired in acquiring new information and/or making new memories, as well as accessing old memories, according to the NINDS.
