|  | Public Health Safety | Public Health

About the Physical Dangers of Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Moderate drinking is said by many in the medical industry to be somewhat beneficial, but drinking too much, too often and for too long can have serious affects on a person's health, says the American Heart Association. To know whether the amount you drink is dangerous for your health --- or if you should be drinking at all --- consult your physician.

  1. Cardiovascular Diseases

    • Because alcohol can raise the levels of fat in the blood, drinking too much can cause cardiovascular disease. The added fat can lead to obesity and diabetes as well. While binge drinking can lead to stroke, high blood pressure and heart failure are also very real concerns. Serious problems related to the heart and drinking include cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. To prevent these dangers, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you drink no more than one or two drinks per day. According to the AHA, a drink is one 12-oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.

    Wernicke--Korsakoff Syndrome

    • If you drink too much, you might have a thiamine deficiency. A deficiency in thiamine can cause Wernicke--Korsakoff Syndrome, a serious brain disorder that is actually two syndromes in one. Wernicke's encephalopathy is short-lived but severe. Symptoms include mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes and a difficulty with muscle coordination. Korsakoff's psychosis, which is debilitating and long-lasting, is developed in 80 percent to 90 percent of people with Wernicke's. This psychosis causes persistent learning and memory problems, frustration and difficulties with walking and coordination. Memory problems related to this syndrome are evidenced by an inability to take in new information, although your long-term memory is secure.

    Liver Diseases

    • Heavy, long-term drinking can damage your liver, which breaks down the alcohol so that it can be cleared from the body. Liver diseases like cirrhosis can also harm the brain and lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a potentially fatal brain disorder. Symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy include anxiety and depression, or changes in sleep patterns, mood and personality. Some people may also exhibit coordination problems such as asterixis, where their hands shake. This condition can also cause coma, which could be fatal. Scientists have found that ammonia and manganese, which the liver allows to enter the brain, play a part in a drinker developing hepatic encephalopathy.

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

    • Developing babies exposed to alcohol while in the womb may be borne with fetal alcohol syndrome, which is a brain disorder. Women are often advised not to drink during pregnancy to prevent harming their fetuses. Fetal alcohol syndrome affects thousand of babies each year and is one of the best-known alcohol-related syndromes because of the publicity campaign and warnings on alcohol containers. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading preventable birth defect in the United States.

Public Health - Related Articles