To further expand our knowledge on the frightening topic of Alcoholism and its corresponding effects on the Liver, researchers and interested inquirers alike should make sure they fully understand what the term Alcoholism really means. Alcoholism doesn’t have its own section in DSM-V however, it is considered one of the ten substance related disorders that the manual describes. To be classified as a substance abuse disorder, eleven different criteria need to be met. Alcoholism is further broken down into two different severities as well: dependence and abuse. Directly affected by ingestion of alcohol is the body’s filter; the liver. Not only does the liver filter blood coming from the digestive tract before passing it to the rest of the body but it also converts nutrients into substances that our body can use and stores them. Some noted vitamins that can be affected by a faulty liver include but are not limited to: vitamins B1, B3, B6 (Thiamine, Niacin, Pyridoxine), folic acid and vitamin A. Complex processes involving alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and Glucogenesis will later be broken down more specifically at a cellular level. Thorough research has indicated that an overabundance of alcohol in a body system can decrease the rate of metabolism and chemical detoxification and can adversely affect digestion. With enough alcohol, the liver can fall so behind with its duties that liver tissue can actually die and further shut this vital organ down completely. There is the possibility of misdiagnosis, however.
Other diseases such as Chronic Liver Disease, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C have also been linked to liver failure that can mimic symptoms of alcoholism. The goal of this research paper...
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... http://widelantern.com/2011/11/drug-alcohol-tobacco-use-broken-down-by- raceethinicity/
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When alcohol is consumed, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes the alcohol to acetaldehyde at a rate of one standard drink per hour (Schuckit, 2009). After repeat exposures, tolerance may develop as a result of adaptational changes in the cells of the central nervous system (Merck, 1999). The increased tolerance may cause the patient to consume alcohol in greater quantities than before to achieve the same intoxicating effects. Alcoholics suffer dramatic long-term health damage. The most common forms of specific organ damage in alcoholics are cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, a...
Liver disease resulting from alcohol affects more than two million Americans and is one of the primary causes of illness and death. The liver frees the body of harmful substances, such as alcohol. While the liver breaks down alcohol, it produces toxins that can be even more dangerous than the alcohol consumed (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact on Your Health” 13). “These by-products damage liver cells, promote inflammation, and weaken the body’s natural defenses. Eventually, these problems can disrupt the body’s metabolism and impair the function of other organs” (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol’s Impact on Your Health” 13).
Most alcoholics proceed to a stage where their brains or their bodies have been so harmed by alcohol that the effects persist even when they are not drinking. This stage may be reached...
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the US. One in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction is very common in modern ...
Blackwell, Wiley. "Alcoholic Cirrhosis Patients Had High Prevalence of Complications at Diagnosis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily LLC, Apr. 27,2010. Web. 4 Nov 2011. .
This case study is about Abdul Chidiac, a 51 year old male, married with 4 children. He had a medical history of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and cirrhosis with two admissions in the last six months. He is a smoker and drinks beer, 5-6 bottles per day. As Carithers & McClain (2010) explained the patient’s medical history is another indicator of the risk for cirrhosis; the progression to cirrhosis is adaptable and may take time over weeks or many years. Cirrhosis is a liver disease characterized by permanent scarring of the liver that interferes with its normal functions including alcoholism. Most people who drink large amounts of alcohol cause harm to the liver in some way (Heidelbaugh & Bruderly, 2006). The cause of cirrhosis is not yet known, but the connection between cirrhosis and excessive alcohol ingestion is established (Jenkins & Johnson, 2010). Common causes of cirrhosis include: alcohol abuse, hepatitis B infection, hepatitis C infection and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (Schuppan & Afdhal, 2008).
“For every family that is impacted by drugs, there are another 10 to 15 families impacted by alcohol abuse. It's a pretty big deal. We have a tendency to only look at part of the puzzle.” (Kevin Lewis). As a society we tend to categorize the severity of addiction in a way that drugs are the most dangerous and alcohol being just a problem. Because alcohol addiction can be a slow progressive disease many people don’t see it in the same light as drug addiction. An addiction to drugs is seen as being a more deadly and dangerous issue then that of alcohol because a drug addiction can happen more quickly and can kill more quickly. Alcohol is something that is easy to obtain, something that is found at almost every restaurant. People with an alcohol addiction can not hide from alcohol as easy as a drug addict. Approximately 7 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse and another 7 million suffer from alcoholism. (Haisong 6) The dangers of alcohol affect everyone from children with alcoholic parents, to teenagers who abuse alcohol, then to citizens who are terrorized by drunk drivers.
The problem of alcohol abuse has been recognized for thousands of years, but only more recently have we begun to see alcohol addiction as a treatable disorder. According to the Classical Disease Model of `Alcoholism,' habitual use of alcohol can be identified as a disease. Webster's Dictionary defines the concept of `disease' as follows: "Any departure from health presenting marked symptoms; malady; illness; disorder." Therefore, as many occurrences of alcohol excess provoke such symptoms, it is somewhat understandable that `alcoholism' is classified as a disease. The Classical Disease Model appears to offer a hopeful option. Treatment and sobriety can allow people to lead fulfilling lives. Adjacent to the notion of alcoholism as personal failure or moral deterioration, the Classical Disease Model appears to be a more desirable concept as it provides a motive for the alcoholic to seek treatment and gain sympathy, minimizing personal guilt. As alcoholism is seen as a progressive and, to an extent, hereditary illness for which those afflicted are not accountable, victims avoid being ostracized from society (Jellinek, 1960). Labeling the problem as a `disease' allows the medical profession to take responsibility for the treatment of alcoholism, which puts the problem in a more favourable light than if it were in the hands of psychologists or social workers, thus detaching the stigma connected with the problem while it is put on a par with other diseases such as diabetes or cancer. However, critics of the Classical Disease Model believe stigma helps reduce alcohol problems and aids the alcoholic. Any effort to reduce the stigma which is faced by the alcoholic will reduce pressures to moderate consumption and could have the additional ...
The first to advocate alcoholism as a disease was Benjamin Rush (1785-1843), and he even proposed that hospitals should be established to aid in the treatment of this disease (Cox, 1987). Since Rush, there have been many more definitions of alcoholism including the Statistical Abstracts (1979) account that an alcoholic is defined as ?one who is unable consistently to choose whether he shall drink or not, and if he drinks, is unable consistently to choose whether he shall stop or not. ?Alcoholics with complications? are those who have developed bodily or mental disorders through prolonged excessive drinking? (O?Brien & Chafetz, 1982, p.26). Further, Mark Keller of Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcoholism in March of 1960 stated that alcoholism is a ?chronic disease manifested by repeat implicative drinking so as to ca...
To understand alcoholism, it must first be understood what this affliction is dependent on. Alcohol is a substance that is made by the fermentation of fruits, grains, or miscellaneous other organic materials. The chemical, alcohol, is a depressant and acts on every cell in the human body. Due to this, the central nervous system, along with the pleasure centers of the brain, are affected resulting in a feeling of euphoria and a sense of well being. After repeated exposure, the brain becomes dependent on this drug to unburden itself whenever it feels the compulsion. Several factors that contribute to alcoholism are the individual’s psychology, genetics, culture, and the individual’s response to physical pain.
Heredity, conditioning, and environment can contribute to the use of alcohol. One beverage can affect parts of the brain and nervous system. Sensory input then comes into play when alcohol is consumed. Symptoms depend on many factors such as one’s body itself and the amount of alcohol intake. Not only does alcohol affect the person consuming it but others around them, impact relationships, and group behavior. Therefore, after the individual has taken beverage after beverage of alcohol the body will start showing signs of damage to the body both internally and externally.
Saitz, Richard, M.D. "Unhealthy Alcohol Use." New England Journal of Medicine (2005): 596. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.
In conclusion, from what it was previously reported in the essay, it could be noticed that within the body, one of the systems that is more damaged by alcohol abuse is the renal system. The damages that this substance creates are really crucial since they interfere with the maintenance of homeostasis. As it could be clearly noticed throughout the essay, alcohol affects the kidneys at both at a macroscopically and microscopically level leading to many different health problems in alcoholic. Furthermore, it can be noticed that usually microscopic problems are usually connected to macroscopic changes that occur in the tubules and glomerulus of the kidneys (nephron region).
The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors that may contribute to the development of...
Alcohol in the form of alcoholic beverages has been consumed by humans since pre-historic times, for a variety of hygiene dietary, medicinal, religions and recreational reasons. According to the NIH Senior Health, drinking too much alcohol affects many parts of the body. It can be especially harmful to the liver, the organ that metabolizes (breaks down) alcohol and other harmful substances. People who drink heavily for a long time can develop diseases such as liver inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis) or severe liver scarring (cirrhosis). Alcohol-related liver disease can cause death. According to the statistics in the year 2010 by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and prevention) the number of discharges with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis as the first-listed diagnosis was 101,000 persons, while the number of deaths has been 31,903 persons.