Alcoholism :: essays research papers

The Physical Effects of Alcohol on the Body           boozing is a disease which, in many cases, appears to be a genetically transmitted biochemical defect. However, in former(a) instances, it appears to be caused by overpower bombardment of the physiology of the proboscis by repeated episodes of heavy drinking resulting in the incapacity to handle alcohol normally. Psychological and/or social pressures whitethorn aggravate the disease. It is characterized by a typical progression of drinking behaviour that requires an average of twelve and one-half years of drinking to reach richly developed, overt symptoms and an average of eighteen years to reach the stage of deterioration. It is seen nearly frequently in those of Eskimo or American Indian descent. Among those of Caucasian descent, the Irish, French and Scandinavians exhibit a far higher incidence than do other European population groups. The disease is further characterized by physica l deadening in all system of the body, the most serious of which is encountered in the cardiovascular system, the uneasy system and the liver. In these three areas the damage may in conclusion prove fatal.     Living the life of an alcoholic is hard work - the body suffers. There is complete unanimity of opinion that alcoholic drinking is genuinely bad for the heart. Not only does the alcoholic suffer increased jeopardize of heart disease, but he may also sustain go damage to the heart from alcohol. Alcoholic drinking results in Increased lipide levels which may result in arteriosclerosis and increased risk of pellet and possible early death. Possible development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, resulting from injury to the energy-producing impute of the heart muscle, which may lead to death from heart failure.     Damage to the nervous system in alcoholics has been recognized for many years. Some of the possible neurologic effects of alc oholism include Development of diseases caused by vitamin B deficiencies. constipation of boilersuit mental functioning. Some of the ancient physicians recognized an impairment of overall mental functioning in those who drank excessively and recent brain stall studies suggest that an alcoholic literally kills off brain cells at a more rapid pace than normal. If one destroys brain cells rapidly adequacy and for a long enough period of time, eventually the "cell banking concern" of reserves will be depleted, and the subject will begin to orient impaired mental functioning. This appears to be the sequence of events observed in the pneumoencephalogram tracings and clinical observations of alcoholics.     The gastrointestinal system is prominent among the organ systems damaged by alcohol.