Clinical effects of chronic alcoholism Flashcards
What can be seen on the palms of an alcoholic?
Palmar erythema
Duputren’s contracture
Why do chronic alcoholics have palmar erythema?
Underlying liver cirrhosis
Increased oestrogen levels cause changes in small anastomoses in the hand, increasing vascularity
What might be seen on the stomach of a chronic alcoholic?
Caput medusae
What are caput medusae?
Prominent veins around the umbilicus
What causes caput medusae?
Portal hypertension
What are spider naevi?
Superficial veins across the chest
What is a subdural haematoma?
Bleeding in the subdural space
What causes subdural haematomas in alcoholic?
Falling over
What deficiency is seen in chronic alcoholics?
Thiamine deficiency
What is confabulation?
When a patient tries to mask memory loss in conversation
What can thiamine deficiency manifest as?
Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome
What signs are found in Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome?
Abnormal shaky gait (ataxia) Nystagmus Ophthalmoplegia General confusion Disorientation Memory loss
What type of pneumonia is common in alcoholics?
Aspiration pneumonia
Why might scarring be visible on the lungs of a chronic alcoholic?
Previous bouts of aspiration pneumonia
How does alcohol affect cardiac contraction?
Directly negative inotropic affect
Therefore HR increases
What effect does chronic alcoholism have on the heart?
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Why does wet beriberi cause heart failure?
Causes peripheral vasodilation and rapid arterio-venous shunting of blood
What is NAD converted to by alcohol and what does this go on to stimulate (in the liver)?
NADH
Stimulates lipid synthesis
Fatty liver
What causes acute fatty liver?
NAD -> NADH by alcohol
Stimulates lipid synthesis
Alcohol reduces mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acids
Decreased transport of fat out of hepatocytes due to intracellular tubulin impairment
How does alcoholic steatohepatitis present?
Fever
Liver tenderness
Jaundice
What is seen on a microscopic level in alcoholic steatohepatitis?
Acute inflammatory cells
Hepatocyte ballooning
Profound cellular steatosis
Presence of Mallory’s hyaline
What type of symptoms will a patient with liver cirrhosis develop?
Symptoms of portal hypertension
What causes cirrhosis?
Fibrosis deposited in interstitial cells.
Eventually this scarring encircles hepatic lobules.
Entrapped hepatocytes have a reduced capacity to receive substances and secrete substances
Causes net build up of toxic material
What large veins are seen in portal hypertension?
Oesophageal varices
Splenomegaly