Alcohol Prevention Flashcards
Why is alcohol concentration higher in the liver than elsewhere?
Blood comes directly to liver from stomach and small intestine via the portal vein
What drug decreases alcohol absorption? What increases?
Decrease absorption = cimetidine
Increase = antihistamine
What effect does alcohol have?
Mild sedative
Mild anaesthetic
Stimulate dopamine and serotonin
What is a safe weekly alcohol limit?
Under 14 units per week
If you do, drink over 3 or more days
How can regular heavy drinking affect the GIT?
Acute Gastritis and GI bleeding
Liver problems
GIT and oesophageal cancers, pancreatic disease
Obesity and malnutrition
Vitamin deficiency
How can regular heavy drinking affect the heart?
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiac arrhythmias
Hypertension
Increased LDL
Increased risk of ischaemic stroke
How can regular heavy drinking affect the skin, muscles, nerves and bones?
Acute or chronic myopathy - issues with skeletal muscle
Osteoporosis - loss of bone mass
Osteomalacia - loss of bone mineral content
How can regular heavy drinking affect the blood?
Macrocytosis - larger blood cells
Thrombocytopenia - low platelet count
Leucopoenia - decreased white blood cell count
These lead to bleeding and poor wound healing
How can regular heavy drinking affect medications / drugs
Regular drinking can increase drug absorption through enhancing gastric solubility or by increasing GIT blood flow.
Heavy drinking induces liver enzymes so increase drug metabolism this way
People may demonstrate non compliance to taking drugs due to an ability to drink alcohol on them e.g. metronidazole
Alcohol can have a serious negative interaction with illicit drugs
Liver damage can decrease drug metabolism and also may affect which LA to give
How can regular heavy drinking affect patients with hep C?
Hep C infects the liver, those regularly heavily drinking can further damage their liver beyond repair, and also may show non compliance with drug treatment, only increasing the risk
How can regular heavy drinking affect the oral cavity?
Increased oral cancer risk, further increased with tobacco smoking
Often, dental neglect occurs and also dental trauma
Ulceration, glossitis, gingivitis, angular chelitis - nutritional deficient
Sialosis and xerostomia
Erosion
Bruxism
Osteomyelitis, increased risk of osteoporosis and osteomalacia
Poor general wound healing
What is the spectrum of alcoholic liver disease?
Normal = steatosis
Steatosis = steato-hepatitis
Steato-hepatitis = cirrhosis
Steatosis = inflammation of liver with fat cells
Steatohepatitis = jaundice, hepatic failure, abdominal distress
Cirrhosis = scarring
What dental implications does lover disease have?
Reduced synthesis of clotting factors
Reduced absorption of vitamin K
Thrombocytopenia
Reduced platelet aggregation
How does alcohol interact with disulfiram? What drugs typically contain this?
Inhibits alcohol dehydrogenase
Leads to vomiting and nausea, and cardiac arrhythmias if lots of alcohol consumed
Metronidazole, cephalosporins, ketconazole
Which drugs combined with alcohol can cause lots of damage to the GIT?
NSAIDS and aspirin
Irritant to gastric mucosa, as is alcohol
Clotting inhibited by chronic drinking only increasing the issue
