Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program1 Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders Eric B. Raimo, M.D.
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program2
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program3 Overview Acute effects Chronic heavy use Withdrawal
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program4 Epidemiology 20-40% hospital admissions Outpatient setting 100,000 deaths per year Alcoholics who continue drinking have a shortened life-span of 15 years
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program5 Acute Effects CNS –accidents Gastrointestinal Respiratory –overdose
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program6 Overview Acute effects Chronic heavy use Withdrawal
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program7 Effects of Chronic Heavy Drinking CNS –Neuropathies –Cerebellar degeneration –Dementia –Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program8 Effects of Chronic Heavy Drinking Gastrointestinal –Alimentary/stomach –Liver –Pancreas Cardiovascular –Hypertension –Cardiomyopathy –Stroke
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program9 Effects of Chronic Heavy Drinking Reproductive
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program10 Effects of Chronic Heavy Drinking Hematologic Musculoskeletal Endocrine Dermatologic
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program11 Biological Markers of Chronic Heavy Drinking GGT (>30) CDT (>20) MCV (>90) AST/ALT
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program12 Overview Acute effects Chronic heavy use Withdrawal
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program13 Withdrawal Effects Rule of thumb: –Withdrawal effects are opposite of intoxication sx/signs Alcohol withdrawal
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program14 Alcohol-Drug Interactions Illicit drugs (e.g., cocaine, heroin) Prescription drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines, metronidazole) Over-the-counter drugs (e.g., acetaminophen) Rx
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program15 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Growth retardation Facial dysmorphism Severe CNS dysfunction
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program16 Moderate Alcohol Use Cardiovascular Gallstones Other potential beneficial effects
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program17 Summary Alcohol can be medically hazardous acutely, with chronic high levels of use, and in withdrawal Every major organ system is affected Morbidity and mortality
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program18 Marijuana Motor vehicle accidents Learning Respiratory Immune system
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program19 Stimulants (Cocaine and Amphetamine) Cardiovascular Neurological Injection risks
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program20 Opioids Overdose Injection risks Gastrointestinal Musculoskeletal
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program21 Other Drugs PCP Inhalants
Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program22 Summary Alcohol and drugs of abuse are physically hazardous Medical consequences are associated intoxication, chronic heavy use, and withdrawal Specific drugs affect major organ systems differently Morbidity and mortality