The Long Term Hangover

Health impacts of long term alcohol misuse

Long term abuse of alcohol creates medical risks to individuals and may contribute to many cases of illness and premature death. On death certificates ‘alcohol-related’ is often not stated.

Long term health impacts of alcohol misuse

Liver disorders:

hepatitis,
cirrhosis of the liver,
cancer of the liver (most alcohol specific fatalities recorded result from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis i)

Gastrointestinal problems:

pancreatitis;
cancer of the oesophagus;
digestive problems;
gastritis

Nerve and muscle damage:

weakness;
burning sensations in hands/feet;
paralysis

Circulatory problems:

high blood pressure (hypertension),
stroke

Cancer:

the voice box [larynx]),
the throat (treble the risk) and
the gullet (double the risk) as well as
the oesophagus, and
breast cancer.
In total, around 3% of cancers are attributable to alcohol.

Reproductive problems:

impotence and infertility (in men);
disruption of menstrual cycle (in women)

Malnutrition:

obesity;
weight loss through under-eating;
disrupted metabolism

Respiratory problems:

fractured ribs,
pneumonia;
low blood sugar

Mental health:

suicide (30% alcohol-linked);
depression;
psychiatric disorders (30% of alcohol- dependents)

Alcohol is Associated with other Medical Issues

Whilst heavy drinkers have been found to visit their GPs twice as often as light drinkers consumption of alcohol with medications can produce adverse side effects and can diminish or exaggerate a drug’s effects.

Mental health can be affected by alcohol, and individuals with mental health problems may be more vulnerable to alcohol abuse.

Those who are depressed or suffering from anxiety are more likely to drink, and alcohol is likely to exacerbate feelings of depression.

A study of psychiatric patients found that 19% of male heavy drinkers and 30% of female heavy drinkers had a neurotic disorder.

Suicide is also strongly linked to alcohol, with around 65% of suicide attempts being associated with excessive alcohol consumption.

Share, print or e-mail this article