Alcoholism

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Liver cirrhosis, CT scan

Liver fattening, CT scan

Liver with disproportional fattening, CT scan

Alcoholism

Alternative Names:

Alcohol dependence; Alcohol abuse
Symptoms:

Men who consume 15 or more drinks a week, women who consume 12 or more drinks a week, or anyone who consumes 5 or more drinks per occasion at least once a week are all at risk for developing alcoholism. (One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor).

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The following questions are used by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence:

Have you felt that you should cut down on your drinking?
Do you ever drive when you have been drinking?
Is someone in your family concerned about your drinking?
Have you ever had any blackouts after drinking?
Have you ever been absent from work or lost a job because of drinking?
Do you have to drink more than before to achieve intoxication or the desired effect?

Some of the symptoms associated with alcoholism include

Solitary drinking
Making excuses to drink
Need for daily or frequent use of alcohol for adequate function
Lack of control over drinking, with inability to discontinue or reduce alcohol intake
Episodes of violence associated with drinking
Secretive behavior to hide alcohol related behavior
Hostility when confronted about drinking
Neglect of food intake
Neglect of physical appearance
Nausea and vomiting
Shaking in the morning
Abdominal pain
Numbness and tingling
Confusion

Symptoms may vary.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may vary from mild to severe:

Rapid heart rate and sweating
Restlessness or agitation
Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
Confusion or hallucinations
Tremors and seizures

Signs and tests:

All physicians should ask their patients about their drinking. A history may be obtained from family if the affected person is unwilling or unable to answer questions. A physical examination is performed to identify physical problems related to alcohol use.

A toxicology screen or blood alcohol level confirms recent alcohol ingestion, which does not necessarily confirm alcoholism.
Liver function tests can be elevated. GGPT (glutaryl transaminase) is often elevated more than other liver function tests.
CBC (complete blood count) - MCV can be elevated (mean corpuscular volume or size of the red blood cells).
Serum magnesium, uric acid, total protein, and folate tests may be abnormal.