Long Term Effects of Alcohol
This first noticeable effect on speech happens because alcohol slows down communication between the brain and the vocal muscles.
what is slurred speech.
Over time, chronic heavy drinking forces the heart to pump harder, leading to this chronic cardiovascular condition.
What is high blood pressure?
Alcohol impairs this brain region responsible for balance, leading to a loss of physical coordination and slower reaction times.
What is the cerebellum?
Chronic drinking damages these cellular components of the immune system, making a person much more susceptible to illnesses like pneumonia.
What are white blood cells?
Drinking lowers these psychological barriers, leading people to take greater risks or make choices they normally wouldn't.
What are inhibitions?
This severe, irreversible disease occurs when healthy liver tissue is replaced by permanent scar tissue after years of heavy drinking.
What is cirrhosis?
This temporary amnesia occurs when a high blood alcohol concentration prevents the brain from transferring short-term memories into long-term ones.
What is a blackout?
Alcohol is classified as a carcinogen because its byproduct, acetaldehyde, damages DNA and significantly increases the risk of malignancies in these major digestive organs.
What are the liver, esophagus, and colon?
This life-threatening medical emergency occurs when a severe overdose of alcohol suppresses vital functions like breathing and heart rate.
What is alcohol poisoning?
Caused by a severe deficiency of Vitamin B1 (thiamine) due to chronic alcohol abuse, this neurological disorder causes profound, permanent memory loss and confusion.
What is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?