Alcohol Dependence
Alternate Names : Alcoholism, Alcohol Addiction, Alcohol Abuse
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Teaching people, particularly those who are at risk for the disease, about alcoholism is important. This education needs to
be started at a young age.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
The long-term effects of alcohol dependency include:
pancreatitis, or inflammation of
the pancreas
heart disease, including coronary artery disease
neuropathy, or damage to the nerves
bleeding esophageal varices, or
enlarged veins in the tube that connects the windpipe to the stomach
brain degeneration and alcoholic neuropathy
cirrhosis of the liver, a
chronic disease that causes destruction of liver cells and loss of liver
function
depression, insomnia, anxiety, and suicide
high blood pressure
increased incidence of many types of
cancer, including breast cancer
nutritional deficiencies
Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome, a neuropsychiatric
disorder caused by thiamine deficiency that results from poor nutrition in alcoholics
significant damage to occupational, social, and interpersonal areas,
including sexual dysfunction
Children and teenagers who abuse alcohol are at increased risk for further
drinking problems, depression, other
substance abuse, and personality
disorders as they get older. Adolescents who drink alcohol heavily can develop significant impairments in their ability to remember new information, and their
schoolwork may suffer.
People who are heavy drinkers also tend to smoke and eat an unhealthy diet.
This combination puts the person at higher risk for coronary artery disease,
stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
What are the risks to others?
If a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her fetus is at great risk for developing
fetal alcohol syndrome. or FAS. Drinking reduces judgment, impulse control,
and motor control. A person with alcohol dependency places himself or herself
and others at risk for accident or emotional injury.
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