Alcohol
Use and Health
There are approximately 79,000 deaths attributable
to excessive alcohol use each year in the United States.
This makes excessive alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related
cause of death for the nation. Additionally, excessive
alcohol use is responsible for 2.3 million years of
potential life lost (YPLL) annually, or an average of
about 30 years of potential life lost for each death.
In the single year 2005, there were more than 1.6 million
hospitalizations and more than 4 million emergency room
visits for alcohol-related conditions.
The Standard Measure of Alcohol
In the United States, a standard drink is any drink
that contains 0.6 ounces (13.7 grams or 1.2 tablespoons)
of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol
is found in
• 12-ounces of regular beer or wine cooler
• 8-ounces of malt liquor
• 5-ounces of wine
• 1.5-ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or
liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey)
Definitions of Patterns of Drinking Alcohol
Binge drinking
• For women, 4 or more drinks during a single
occasion.
• For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion
Heavy Drinking
For women, more than 1 drink per day on average
For men, more than 2 drinks per day on average
Excessive drinking includes heavy drinking, binge drinking
or both
Health Risks
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development
of chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social
problems. These include but are not limited to:
| • |
Neurological problems,
including dementia, stroke and neuropathy. |
| • |
Cardiovascular problems, including
myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation
and hypertension. |
| • |
Psychiatric problems, including
depression, anxiety, and suicide. |
| • |
Social problems, including unemployment,
lost productivity, and family problems. |
| • |
Cancer of the mouth, throat,
esophagus, liver, colon, and breast. In general,
the risk of cancer increases with increasing amounts
of alcohol. |
Liver diseases, including - Alcoholic hepatitis. Cirrhosis,
which is among the 15 leading causes of all deaths in
the United States. Among persons with Hepatitis C virus,
worsening of liver function and interference with medications
used to treat this condition. Other gastrointestinal problems,
including pancreatitis and gastritis.
Material
above is courtesy of: http://www.cdc.gov
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