Alcohol toxicity and withdrawal

[Jessica]

Alcohol (ethanol) is a central nervous system depressant. Large amounts consumed rapidly can cause respiratory depression, coma, and death. Large amounts chronically consumed damage the liver and many other organs. Alcohol withdrawal manifests as a continuum, ranging from tremor to seizures, hallucinations, and life-threatening autonomic instability in severe withdrawal (delirium tremens). Diagnosis is clinical.
(See also Alcohol Use Disorders and Rehabilitation.)
About half of adults in the US are current drinkers, 20% are former drinkers, and 30 to 35% are lifetime abstainers. Alcohol use is also becoming an increasing problem in preteens and teenagers. For most drinkers, the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption does not impair physical or mental health or the ability to safely carry out daily activities. However, acute alcohol intoxication is a significant factor in injuries, particularly those due to interpersonal violence, suicide, and motor vehicle crashes.
Chronic alcohol abuse interferes with the ability to socialize and work. Although estimates vary across studies, about 13.9% of adults meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder (abuse or dependence) in any given year (1). Binge drinking, defined as consuming ≥ 5 drinks per occasion for men and ≥ 4 drinks per occasion for women, is a particular problem among younger people.