J Korean Med Assoc.  2006 Feb;49(2):114-127. 10.5124/jkma.2006.49.2.114.

Alcohol Abuse Related Medical Complications and Treatment

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongdong Severance Hospital, Korea. yhpaik@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Alcohol abuse is related to a wide variety of medical complications including liver diseases, pancreatitis, cardiovascular diseases, immunological abnormalities, malignant neoplasms, endocrine disturbances, and kidney problems. The liver is the organ most severely affected by alcoholism. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Korea. The mainstay of therapy for alcohol-related medical problems is cessation of drinking. This article summarizes alcohol-related medical complications and treatment with focus on alcoholic liver injury.

Keyword

Alcohol Abuse; Medical Complication; Alcoholic Liver Disease; Treatment

MeSH Terms

Alcoholics
Alcoholism*
Cardiovascular Diseases
Drinking
Humans
Kidney
Korea
Liver
Liver Diseases
Liver Diseases, Alcoholic
Mortality
Pancreatitis

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