ALCOHOL-ABUSE AS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR FOR D ISEASES IN A DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL-MEDICINE

The percentage and spectrum of alcohol-induced diseases were determine d in male and female patients. In 28 percent of the men and 8 percent of the women. inpatient treatment had been necessitated in the first i nstance by alcohol-induced diseases. In both men and women abusing alc ohol, the percentage of younger patients was appreciably higher than i n patients who did not abuse alcohol. Among male drinkers. the most co mmon pathologies diagnosed were diseases of the liver (78.6%), the upp er gastrointestinal tract, the pancreas (51.7%) and the central nervou s system (42%), as well as cardiovascular diseases (23.2%). The majori ty of male patients abusing alcohol had two or more organic diseases ( 80%). In 35.4%, three or more different disease were diagnosed. Among female patients abusing alcohol, the pattern of the various diseases w as largely identical with that seen among the male patients. The durat ion of hospitalisation was appreciably longer in male drinkers (x +/- SD = 14.1 +/- 10.1 days. Among male drinkers 51.8%, and among female d rinkers 68.7% were also heavy smokers. Of the 144 men in whom alcohol abuse was not certain, 30 were heavy smokers and, in the main, were be ing treated for cardiac and/or bronchopulmonary diseases. It is highly probable that, owing to the nature of the evaluation employed, the pe rcentages of patients abusing alcohol or nicotine were underestimated. The fact that a high 43% of mainly younger male patients presented wi th diseases that could be traced back mainly or solely to alcohol or t obacco consumption. together with the multimorbidity and chronicity of the diseases of these patients underscores the urgent need to attach more importance to promoting preventive measures.