Medical consequences of alcohol excess

Question 1

Where has one of the fastest growing chronic liver disease and cirrhosis death rates in the world?

Answer 1

Scotland

Question 2

How many admissions to hospital is alcohol responsible for

Answer 2

1 in 20

Question 3

Who is the worst for alcohol drinking in scotland

Answer 3

Men in deprived areas

Question 4

What are some acute effects of alcohol

Answer 4

CNS - accidents and violence
Gastro - oesophagitis, gastritis, ulceration, acute pancreatis
Respiratory - alcohol poisoning in overdose, aspiration
Behaviousral - anxiolysis, mood changes, errors in judgement - suicide, homicides, STDs

Question 5

What are some of the good effects of high-risk drinking?

Answer 5

Decreases risk of RA
Increases HDL cholesterol
Decreased risk of kidney or gall stones
Lowers risk of diabetes

Question 6

What are some of the effects of chronic heavy drinking?

Answer 6

Gastro - sotmach, liver, pancreas
CNS - neuropathies, dementia, Weknick-Korsakoff’s syndrome
Cardio - hypertension, cardiomyopathy, MI, Stroke
Haematological - anaemia, bone marrow depression
Musculoskeletal - proximal myopathy, oestroporesis
Endocrine - cushion’s syndrome
dermatological
reproductive - increased chance of miscarriage or congenital defects

Question 7

What are the results of fetal alcohol syndrome

Answer 7

Growth deficiency 
Mental retardation 
intellectual impairment
attentional learning disabilities
behavioural problems

Question 8

What are 3 beneficial effects of moderate alcohol use

Answer 8

Cardiovascular risks decrease, gall stones and potential beneficial effects

Question 9

Name the 3 key components in alcohol metabolism in order

Answer 9

Alcohol dehydrogenase
Aldehyde dehydrogenase
Ketone bodies

Question 10

What causes the variety in the way different people metabolise alcohol

Answer 10

Different levels of phase 2 enzymes

Question 11

How likely is it for alcoholics to develop alcoholic fatty liver disease

Answer 11

90%

Question 12

How likely is it for alcoholics to develop alcohol related cirrhosis

Answer 12

30%

Question 13

What might alcoholic hepatitis appear as

Answer 13

Cholestatic

Question 14

At what stage is it most likely that hepatitis will occur in Alcoholic liver disease

Answer 14

Any stage - steatosis or cirrhosis

Question 15

What are the signs of chronic liver disease and portal hypertension

Answer 15

Encepalopathy 
prolonged prothrombin time 
hypoalbuminaemia 
caput medusa
hypersplenism

Question 16

How do we grade cirrhosis

Answer 16

Child’s Turcotte-Pugh and MELD scores

Question 17

What is the worst grade of this score

Answer 17

Grade C

Question 18

What has been the biggest cause of the decrease in alcohol problems

Answer 18

The increase in cost - minimum price per unit