Patología orgánica

Abstract

Chronic alcohol intake results in a wide spectrum of organic disturbances derived from the alcohol oxidation and the subsequent generation of acetaldehyde, as well as from the nutritional deficiencies associated with alcohol intake. Alcoholic liver disease is the most prevalent organic abnormality observed in chronic alcoholic, ranging from fatty liver to established cirrhosis. Neurologic diseases are also frequent. Its pathogenesis is less clear, but it probably results from the direct toxic effect of alcohol as well as nutritional deficiencies. Moreover, alcoholic patients also may experience other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, as well as hematological, metabolic and endocrine disturbances. Chronic alcoholism is also associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis, the development of cancer and the fetal alcoholic syndrome.