Causes of Alcoholism

List of causes of Alcoholism

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Alcoholism) that could possibly cause Alcoholism includes:

• Depression
• Schizophrenia

Longer list of causes of Alcohol abuse: see full list of causes for Alcohol abuse

Alcoholism as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Alcoholism as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Alcoholism. Our database lists the following as having Alcoholism as a complication of that condition:

• Alcohol abuse

Alcoholism as a symptom:

Conditions listing Alcoholism as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Alcoholism. Our database lists the following as having Alcoholism as a symptom of that condition:

• Nymphomania

Medical news summaries relating to Alcoholism:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Alcoholism:

• Australian Medical Association wants health warnings placed on alcohol products
• Depressed pregnant women are more likely to have low birth weight babies
• Early detection of alcohol abuse crucial
• Excess alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• Lawyers disproportionately suffer from stress, depression and alcohol abuse
• Liver disease is one of the biggest killers amongst diabetics
• New risk factors may be associated with cardiovascular disease risk
• Pregnancy diet could increase the risk of cancer in offspring
• More news »

Related information on causes of Alcoholism:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Alcoholism may be found in:

• Risk factors for Alcoholism
• Genetics of Alcoholism
• Hidden causes of Alcoholism

Causes of Alcoholism: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Alcoholism.

Alcohol-related disorder: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Numerous biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors appear to be involved in alcohol addiction. An offspring of one parent with alcohol-related disorder is seven to eight times more likely to become an alcoholic than is a peer without such a parent. Biological factors may include genetic or biochemical abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine imbalances, and allergic responses.

Psychological factors may include the urge to drink alcohol to reduce anxiety or symptoms of mental illness; the desire to avoid responsibility in familial, social, and work relationships; and the need to bolster self-esteem.

Sociocultural factors include the availability of alcoholic beverages, group or peer pressure, an excessively stressful lifestyle, and social attitudes that approve of frequent drinking.

More than 15% of American adults have a problem with alcohol use, and about 5% to 10% of male and 3% to 5% of female drinkers are alcohol dependent, accounting for about 12.5 million people. Alcohol-related disorder cuts across all social and economic groups, involves both sexes, and occurs at all stages of the life cycle, beginning as early as elementary school.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Substance abuse and induced disorders: Causes
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Psychoactive drug abuse commonly results from a combination of low self-esteem, peer pressure, inadequate coping skills, and curiosity. Most people who are predisposed to drug abuse have few mental or emotional resources against stress, an overdependence on others, and a low tolerance for frustration. Taking the drug gives them pleasure by relieving tension, abolishing loneliness, allowing them to achieve a temporarily peaceful or euphoric state, or simply relieving boredom.

Drug dependence may follow experimentation with drugs in response to peer pressure. It also may follow the use of drugs to relieve physical pain, but this is uncommon.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Cirrhosis and fibrosis: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

These clinical types of cirrhosis reflect its diverse etiology:

❑ Portal, nutritional, or alcoholic (Laennec’s) cirrhosis, the most common type, occurs in 30% to 50% of cirrhotic patients, up to 90% of whom have a history of alcoholism. Liver damage results from malnutrition, especially of dietary protein, and chronic alcohol ingestion. Fibrous tissue forms in portal areas and around central veins.

❑ Biliary cirrhosis (15% to 20% of patients) results from injury or prolonged obstruction.

❑ Postnecrotic (posthepatic) cirrhosis (10% to 30% of patients) stems from various types of hepatitis.

❑ Pigment cirrhosis (5% to 10% of patients) may result from disorders such as hemochromatosis.

❑ Cardiac cirrhosis (rare) refers to liver damage caused by right-sided heart failure.

❑ Idiopathic cirrhosis (about 10% of patients) has no known cause.

Noncirrhotic fibrosis may result from schistosomiasis or congenital hepatic fibrosis or may be idiopathic.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Cirrhosis: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Cirrhosis has various causes, depending on the type.

Hepatocellular disease

Postnecrotic cirrhosis accounts for 10% to 30% of patients and stems from various types of hepatitis (such as types A, B, C, D viral hepatitis) or toxic exposures.

Laënnec’s cirrhosis — also called portal, nutritional, or alcoholic cirrhosis — is the most common type and is commonly caused by hepatitis C. Liver damage results from malnutrition (especially dietary protein) and overuse of alcohol. Fibrous tissue forms in portal areas and around central veins.

Autoimmune disease, such as sarcoidosis and chronic inflammatory bowel disease, may result in cirrhosis.

Cholestatic diseases

Cholestatic diseases include diseases of the biliary tree (biliary cirrhosis resulting from bile duct diseases suppressing bile flow) and sclerosing cholangitis.

Metabolic diseases

Metabolic diseases include disorders such as Wilson’s disease, alpha₁-antitrypsin deficiency, and hemochromatosis (pigment cirrhosis).

Other types of cirrhosis

Other types of cirrhosis include Budd-Chiari syndrome, cardiac cirrhosis, and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Cardiac cirrhosis is rare; the liver damage results from right-sided heart failure. Cryptogenic refers to cirrhosis of unknown cause.

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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Drug abuse and dependence: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Drug abuse commonly results from a combination of low self-esteem, peer pressure, inadequate coping skills, and curiosity. There is also evidence of familial patterns of addiction.

Most people who are predisposed to drug abuse have few mental or emotional resources against stress, an overdependence on others, and a low tolerance for frustration. Taking the drug gives them pleasure by relieving tension, abolishing loneliness, allowing them to achieve a temporarily peaceful or euphoric state, or simply relieving boredom.

Drug dependence may follow experimentation with drugs in response to peer pressure. It may also follow the use of drugs to relieve physical pain, but this is uncommon.

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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Alcoholism: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Numerous biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors appear to be involved in alcohol addiction. An offspring of one alcoholic parent is seven to eight times more likely to become an alcoholic than is a peer without an alcoholic parent. Biological factors include genetic and biochemical abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine imbalances, and allergic responses.

Psychological factors include the urge to drink alcohol to reduce anxiety or symptoms of mental illness; the desire to avoid responsibility in family, social, and work relationships; and the need to bolster self-esteem.

Sociocultural factors include the availability of alcoholic beverages, peer pressure, an excessively stressful lifestyle, and social attitudes that approve of frequent drinking.

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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Toxic Alcohols: Toxic Alcohols - risk factors
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

Toxicity via dermal absorption rarely occurs in infants or young children with permeable skin.

Toxic Alcohols - pathophysiology

• All toxic alcohols have direct effects as intoxicants. More importantly, ethylene glycol and methanol are metabolized to toxic by-products that result in severe morbidity or mortality.
• All toxic alcohols may result in altered mental status or coma similar to ethanol. CNS depression may result in respiratory depression requiring ventilatory support.
• Ethylene glycol is metabolized to oxalic acid and glycolic acid, ultimately forming calcium oxylate crystals, which may precipitate in the renal tubules and cause renal failure.
• Methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde and then formic acid, which may damage the retina and cause visual impairment or blindness.
• The metabolism of ethylene glycol and methanol to their toxic metabolites may be prevented by competitively inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase with either fomepizole or ethanol.
• Therapy to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase is used for ethylene glycol and methanol exposure.
• Isopropyl alcohol is metabolized to acetone.
• Inhalational absorption of isopropyl alcohol may rarely occur.

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Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008