Alcohol

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Alcohol

• CH₃CH₂OH
• metabolised in liver by two pathways →
• increased NADH/NAD ratio / altered redox potential →
  •  increased fatty acid synthesis →
    •  hepatic accumulation of fatty acid / triglyceride
  • impaired carbohydrate / protein metabolism
  • centrilobular necrosis
• forms acetaldehyde
• induces microsomal ethanol oxidising system (MEOS)
  • enhances effects of toxic metabolites (e.g. paracetamol)
• Leads to alcohol dependence syndrome

Effects

• intoxication
• sense of euphoria
• Substance Abuse

Complications

• CNS
  • Epilepsy
  • Thiamine Deficiency
    • Korsakoff's Syndrome
    • Wernicke's Encephalopathy
  • Polyneuropathy
• Muscles
  • Acute myopathy
  • Chronic myopathy
• CVS
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Beriberi
  • Cardiac Arrhythmias
  • Hypertension
• Metabolism
  • Hyperuricaemia / Gout
  • Hyperlipidaemia
  • Hypoglycaemia
  • Obesity
• Endocrine
  • Pseudo-Cushing's Syndrome
• Respiratory System
  • chest infections
• Gastrointestinal
  • acute Gastritis
  • Oesophageal Carcinoma
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Chronic Pancreatitis / Acute Pancreatitis
  • liver damage (Alcoholic Liver Disease)
    • ↑ gamma-GT
    • 10-20% of heavy drinkers will get Cirrhosis
• Haemopoeisis
  • Macrocytosis
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Leucopenia
  • B₁₂ deficiency
• Bone
  • osteoporosis
  • osteomalacia

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