this was a Biology Project for grade 11 students that study for AS level.

1. Alcohol Abuse
By: Siti Czerina Nasyaska
Highfield Secondary School
Grade 11
2016-2017

2. What is alcohol abuse?
• The use of alcoholic beverages to excess, either on individual
occasions (binge drinking) or as a regular practice.
• For some individuals, children or pregnant women, any amount
intake of alcohol is considered as ‘alcohol abuse’.
• Most alcoholic drinks is ethanol, which is rapidly absorb by the
stomach, then metabolized by the liver into ethanal.

3. Signs and symptoms
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diaphoresis, is sweating as a symptom of disease
• Headache
• Tremor
• Seizures
• Loss of bladder and bowel control
• Blackout, when drinker does not remember what happen while
drinking
• Coma and death

4. Short-term effects of alcohol abuse
• Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
• Slurring of speech
• Drowsiness
• Sleep disruption
• Fatty liver, which fat is being build up in liver
• Lowering of body temperature.

5. Long-term effects of alcohol abuse
• Death of brain cells, can lead to brain disorder and lowered level of
mental and physical function.
• Cirrhosis, a severe medical condition cause by liver damage
• Pancreatitis, the inflammation of the pancreas, and can also cause
nerve damage.
• Tolerance, which the body becomes accustomed to higher and
higher doses of alcohol after a long period of overconsumption.
• Risk of liver cancer increased.
• Damages nervous transmission:
Memory loss
Poor judgment
Difficulty in learning

6. Treatment
Detoxification
• To help break your body’s physical addiction to alcohol. Typically
takes one week to complete and done in hospitals. To prevent
shaking, confusion, hallucinations, convulsions
Counseling
• Support groups can be especially helpful when you’re going through
treatment for alcohol addiction. They can help answer questions,
provide encouragement, and direct you to support resources.
Medication
Disulfiram
Acamprosate
Naltrexone

7. Hepatitis
What is hepatitis?
• Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. May lead to fibrosis
(scarring), cirrhosis (long-term effect) or liver cancer.
• Due to ethanal alternating the shape of protein, the body does not
recognize its own.
• Leading to the antibodies produce against these proteins.
• Sometimes hepatitis goes away by itself. If it does not, it can be
treated with drugs. Hepatitis may lasts a lifetime. Vaccines can help
prevent some viral forms.

8. Symptoms of Hepatitis
• Some may have no symptoms.
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dark-colored urine
• Stomach pain
• Jaundice, yellowing of skin and eyes

9. Stages of Hepatitis
Stage 1,
• Mild inflammation but little to no scarring.
Stage 2,
• Mild to moderate fibrosis.
Stage 3,
• Bridging fibrosis or scarring that has spread to different parts of the
liver.
Stage 4,
• Severe scarring, or cirrhosis.

10. Cirrhosis
What is Cirrhosis?
• A slowly progressing disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced
with scar tissue, eventually preventing the liver from functioning
properly.
• Slows: - the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally
produced toxins.
- the production of proteins and other substances made by
the liver.

11. Symptoms of Cirrhosis
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite, weight loss
• Yellow discoloration in eyes and skin (jaundice)
• Swelling in legs
• Fluid in abdomen (ascites)
• etc.

13. Stages of Cirrhosis
Stage 1: Inflammation
• The liver is destroying itself in its attempt to heal. It begins to show
signs of swelling. Some liver cells starts dying.
Stage 2: Fibrosis
• The formation of dead scar tissue in liver. Reduces blood flow and
causes further compromise in liver structure and function.
Stage 3: Cirrhosis
• The fibrosis worsens and becomes widespread which cause in
distortion in the liver structure.
Stage 4: Failure
• Liver completely fails to carry out its function. Liver transplant is
needed.

15. Treatment
Hepatitis C
• Make lifestyle changes
• Medication
Liver Fibrosis
• Consume healthy and low sodium diet
• Medication
Cirrhosis
• Liver transplant
Eat healthy
Regular exercise
Limit alcohol intakeInterferon
Ribavirin

16. Resources
• http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_abuse_and_alcoholism/pag
e2.htm
• http://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-alcohol-use/
• http://www.who.int/features/qa/76/en/
• https://medlineplus.gov/hepatitis.html
• http://www.healthline.com/health/stage-4-hepatitis-c#Stages4
• http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/cirrhosis-liver#1
• http://www.healthline.com/health/cirrhosis-and-hepatitis-c#2
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/240024-what-are-the-4-stages-
of-cirrhosis/