Alcoholism and Physical Complications

Alcohol abuse has been associated with diverse indicators of social malaise and disruption. Thousands of people die each year from medical complications of alcoholism such as, cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease and other medical conditions. Many pedestrian and driver fatalities on the roads are associated with excessive drinking. A significant number of murders and suicides are associated with alcoholism (Gangrade & Gupta, 1981). About one third of A mission to psychiatric unit in general hospitals represent alcoholism and drug abuse and substantial numbers of alcoholics ,are seen in psychiatric outpatient clinics. The problems are, therefore, enormous and only in recent years has there been any major effort to deal with alcoholism as disease rather than with numerous consequences. The present paper attempts to review physical complications associated with alcoholism.