The influence of alcohol on health

 

The problem of alcohol abuse and alcoholism continues to be one of the most socially significant and relevant to our country. This negative phenomenon causes huge material and moral damage both to individual citizens and to society in general. The study of this issue has shown that drinking and alcoholism according to  the scale of its spread, the value of economic, environmental, demographic and moral losses causes a serious threat to the stability and development of society, the health and wellbeing of the nation.

Over the past five years, the number of people suffering from chronic alcoholism and those that are registered in the dispensary of specialized Ministry of Health  organizations of the Republic of Belarus increased from 121880 to 171103.

Alcohol, or ethyl alcohol is a narcotic poison influencing mainly brain cells, paralyzing them. 7-8 g. of a pure alcohol on 1 kg of persons weight is considered lethal. According to WHO each year alcohol kills nearly 6 million people. Alcohol is easily absorbed into the bloodstream without  digestion. Absorption occurs quickly and begins in the oral mucosa, about 20% of alcohol is  absorbed in the stomach, while the rest is absorbed in the small intestine. Alcohol causes deep and lasting weakening effect. For example about 80 g. of alcohol may continue its influence for the whole day.

Alcohol affects all internal organs of a person. It serves as a depressant to the nervous system, which slows its work and disrupts the normal activity of the brain. Small amounts of alcohol inhibit brain regions that control braking, a person loses control over his actions. At a very high level of alcohol in blood the normal functioning of the brain area that is responsible for breathing is disrupted, which may cause death due to the respiratory apnea.

In the digestive system, alcohol destroys the stomach lining, which can lead to ulcers.

The most damaged organ due to the alcohol abuse is liver. The liver filters about 95% of alcohol that is consumed. During this process the liver becomes rich in fat which may lead to liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is characterized be the replacement of functioning liver cells by non-functioning scar tissue. Such liver violation may lead to death.

As it turned out recently, in addition to changes in the chemistry of the brain, there is a reorganization of its electrical activity and morphology in entities related to the limbic system. And it is a set of chemical, morphological and electrophysiological rearrangements leading to the establishment of the alcohol abuse.

All alcoholic beverages according to the level of alcohol are  divided into 3 categories: low-alcohol (beer, brewed beer, Buz, dry wine, contain from 4 to 8 g.), Medium strong beverages (grape and fruit wines, liqueurs, champagne, contain from 9 to 20 gr.) and strong alcoholic beverages  (vodka, brandy, rum, gin, whiskey, bitters, brew strength of 40-50 g.). The stronger the drink, the faster it is intoxicating.

Absolute contraindications for the consumption of alcoholic drinks even in small doses are neuro-psychiatric disorders, trauma, concussion, brain injuries, acute kidney and liver diseases , diabetes and pregnancy. Adolescence (over 18 years) is also a contradiction due to the lack of the immune system development.

The main symptom of chronic alcoholism is  the development of psychological dependence. The loss of control of quantity and the need for alcohol are also symptoms. Along with the increasing dose increases the  frequency of alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption increases systemic blood pressure irrespective of age, body weight, smoking or not.

Alcohol is a major cause of chronic calcific pancreatitis for people living in a temperate climate.

Alcoholic psychoses are psychotic states of  exogenous and endomorphic origin with acute  protracted and chronic course, appearing on 2^nd  and 3nd  stages of alcoholism. They affect about every third person suffering from alcohol abuse. Psychosis can develop in the period of intensive use of alcohol, but more often they occur a few days after the patient stopped using alcohol. Often psychosis preceded by any physical illness.

The systematic use of alcohol leads to premature aging and disability. The life expectancy of persons who are prone to drunkenness is 15-20 years shorter than the average. The main causes of death of people who are abused by  alcohol are accidents and injuries. Alcohol addicted people as a rule die not from the alcohol disease itself but  from the diseases caused by it. They may be developed due to the immunity reduction, liver diseases, heart and vessels diseases.

The Forming of the Healthy Lifestyle cabinet of « Kalinkovichi Central District Hospital».