THE OTHER TARGETS OF ALCOHOL USE DISORDER The systemic effects of alcohol abuse

Abstract

Drinking alcohol is an established and normalised practice in our society, even though it can physically harm us. High-risk alcohol drinking patterns can increase the chance of negative consequences for the drinkers or their environment. The liver is by far the organ most affected by alcohol abuse; however, alcohol use disorder is a systemic disease which affects a wide range of organs and psychological processes. Other systems that can be affected by continued alcohol consumption include the immune, neurological, and cardiovascular systems. In addition, alcohol can lead to epigenetic alterations that may be transmitted from one generation to the next.