RT Book, Section
A1 Schuckit, Marc A.
A2 Jameson, J. Larry
A2 Fauci, Anthony S.
A2 Kasper, Dennis L.
A2 Hauser, Stephen L.
A2 Longo, Dan L.
A2 Loscalzo, Joseph
SR Print(0)
ID 1156510479
T1 Alcohol and Alcohol Use Disorders
T2 Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e
YR 2018
FD 2018
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259644016
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1156510479
RD 2024/04/24
AB Alcohol  (beverage  ethanol)  has  diverse  and  widespread  effects  on  the  body,  and  impacts  directly  or  indirectly  on  almost  every  neurochemical  system  in  the  brain.  A  large  majority  of  patients  in  most  clinical  settings  consume  alcohol,  with  the  highest  proportions  of  drinkers  of  at  least  modest  levels  of  alcohol  seen  in  more  educated  and  affluent  patient  groups.  At  even  relatively  low  doses,  this  drug  can  exacerbate  most  medical  problems  and  affect  medications  metabolized  in  the  liver,  and  at  higher  doses  can  temporarily  mimic  many  medical  (e.g.,  diabetes)  and  psychiatric  (e.g.,  depression)  conditions.  The  lifetime  risk  for  repetitive  serious  alcohol  problems  (e.g.,  alcohol  use  disorders  as  described  below)  in  patients  is  about  20%  for  men  and  10%  for  women,  regardless  of  a  person’s  education  or  income.  Although  low  doses  of  alcohol  might  have  healthful  benefits,  greater  than  three  standard  drinks  per  day  enhances  the  risk  for  cancer  and  vascular  disease,  and  alcohol  use  disorders  decrease  the  life  span  by  about  10  years.  Unfortunately,  most  clinicians  have  had  only  limited  training  regarding  identifying  and  treating  alcohol-related  disorders.  This  chapter  presents  a  brief  overview  of  clinically  useful  information  about  alcohol  use  and  associated  problems.