alcohol complications,

1. Edson Mutandwa

2. Alcohol
It is a central nervous system depressant that slows down
bodily functions, such as heart rate, pulse, and
respiration.
It can cause
intoxication,
Sedation
sometimes unconsciousness.
In very large doses, alcohol can cause death

3. What is alcohol Misuse
 Alcohol misuse refers to drinking that causes mental,
physical or mental harm to an individual. However it
does not include those with formal alcohol
dependence.

4. Recognition of alcohol Misuse
Screening questions
1. CAGE questionnaire-four questions
2. AUDIT-10 item structured interview

5. Causes of alcohol misuse
Genetic factors- twin studies, higher concordance in
MZ than DZ twins with an estimated heritability of
about 50%(Bienvenu et al, 2011).Also investigation of
adoptee support genetic explanation
Learning factors-children following their parents
drinking patterns
Psychiatric disorders

6. Physical complications
 Direct toxic effects
 Often accompanied by poor diet which may lead to
deficiency of proteins and B vitamins
 Increase the risk of accidents
 General neglect which can lead to increased
susceptibility to infections

7. Physical complications
Gastrointestinal disorders
Liver damage
Gastritis
Peptic ulcers
Oesophageal varices
Acute and chronic pancreatitis

8. Physical complications
Nervous system
Peripheral neuropathy
Epilepsy
Cerebellar degenerations
Rare complications; optic atrophy, central pontine
myelinosis and Marchiafava-Bignami syndrome

9. Physical complications
Cardiovascular system
Hypertension
Increased risk of stroke
Other physical complications include anemia,
myopathy, episodic hypoglycemia, hemochromatosis,
vitamin deficiencies etc

10. Mental/psychiatric complications
1. Intoxication phenomena
2. Withdrawal phenomena
3. Toxic or nutritional disorders
4. Associated psychiatric disorders

11. Mental/psychiatric complications
Intoxication phenomena
 Severity of symptoms of intoxication corellates
approximately with the blood acohol concentration
 There is much individual variation in the
psychological effects of alcohol
 Memory blackout or short term amnesia

12. Mental/psychiatric complications
Withdrawal phenomena
Delirium tremens-occurs in people whose history of
alcohol misuse extends over several years. Following
alcohol withdrawal there is a dramatic and rapidly
changing picture of disordered mental activity with
clouding of consciousness, disorientations in time and
place and impairment of recent memory.
Hallucinations, severe agitation, shouting and evidence
of fear
Last for 3-4 days

13. Mental/psychiatric complications
Toxic or nutritional disorders
These include;
Korsakov’s psychosis
Wernicke's encephalopathy
alcoholic dementia-

14. Mental/psychiatric complications
Associated psychiatric disorders
Personality deterioration
Mood and anxiety disorder
Suicidal behavior
Pathological jealousy
Alcoholic hallucinations

15. Social complications
Family problems
Divorce
Quarrelling and violence
Abuse to the children
Children perform poorly at school and may develop
emotional or behavioral disorders

16. Social complications
Work difficulties
Declining efficiency
Lower grade jobs
Repeated dismissals to lasting unemployment
Crime
Fraud
Sexual offences
Crimes of violence

18. reference
 Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry: sixth edition
2012, Philip Cowen et al