Alcohol Use and Health in Chicago, Illinois

Whether you are sending your child to college for the first time or they are going back for their fifth year… alcohol use and health is an important topic to review with them. 

There are approximately 88,000 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. Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) annually, or an average of about 30 years of potential life lost for each death.1 In 2006, there were more than 1.2 million emergency room visits and 2.7 million physician office visits due to excessive drinking. The economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in 2006 were estimated at $223.5 billion.

The Standard Measure of Alcohol

In the United States, a standard drink is any drink that contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in

  • 12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).

  • 8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).

  • 5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).

  • 1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).

Definitions of Patterns of Drinking Alcohol

Excessive drinking includes heavy drinking, binge drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21.

  • Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive alcohol consumption, is defined as consuming

    • For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion.

    • For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion.

  • Heavy drinking is defined as consuming

    • For women, 8 or more drinks per week.

    • For men, 15 or more drinks per week.

Most people who binge drink are not alcoholics or alcohol dependent.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation, which is defined as no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men. However, there are some persons who should not drink any alcohol, including those who are

  • Pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

  • Taking prescription or over-the-counter medications that may cause harmful reactions when mixed with alcohol.

  • Younger than age 21.

  • Recovering from alcoholism or are unable to control the amount they drink.

  • Suffering from a medical condition that may be worsened by alcohol.

  • Driving, planning to drive, or participating in other activities requiring skill, coordination, and alertness.

Short-Term Health Risks

Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These immediate effects are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:

  • Injuries, including traffic injuries, falls, drownings, burns, and unintentional firearm injuries.

  • Violence, including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment. About 35% of victims report that offenders are under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol use is also associated with 2 out of 3 incidents of intimate partner violence. Studies have also shown that alcohol is a leading factor in child maltreatment and neglect cases, and is the most frequent substance abused among these parents.

  • Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, and increased risk of sexual assault. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

  • Miscarriage and stillbirth among pregnant women, and a combination of physical and mental birth defects among children that last throughout life.

  • Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels that suppress the central nervous system and can cause loss of consciousness, low blood pressure and body temperature, coma, respiratory depression, or death.

Long-Term 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 problem.

  • 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.

Dan

Email: dan@zeiler.com

Phone: 708.293.5500 

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm

Dan Zeiler