By Kerry Broderick, M.D.
Denver Health Emergency Department

She was 15 years old. She was a passenger in a car with a 17-year-old who had been drinking at a friend’s home. She died after major attempts at saving her life failed in the Emergency Department.
The hard part is telling the family. No matter how long I do this job, it always affects me.  I see hundreds of people injured or killed a year because of alcohol abuse.
Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and is associated with multiple adverse health consequences, including liver cirrhosis, various cancers, unintentional injuries and violence.
One drink can slow reflexes and affect the way a person drives. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 affects a person’s reaction time and vision, a BAC of .03 affects eye movement control, and a BAC of .06 affects a person’s ability to process information and make decisions.  In Colorado, a BAC of .08 is considered driving under the influence. 
Long-term alcohol use can lead to serious health problems including liver disease, heart disease, pancreatitis, depression, high blood pressure, psychological disorders, and various cancers such as gastrointestinal, liver, mouth, throat, larynx and esophagus.
Alcohol abuse is a pattern of problem drinking that can result in health consequences and social problems. However, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, is a disease that is characterized by abnormal alcohol-seeking behavior that leads to impaired control over drinking.
Many people consider themselves “social drinkers.”  But people are defined as being dependent on alcohol, or alcoholics, if they report three or more of these symptoms in the past year:

• Tolerance (e.g., needing more alcohol to become intoxicated);
• Withdrawal;
• Alcohol use for longer periods than intended;
• Desire and/or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use;
• Considerable time spent obtaining or using alcohol, or recovering from its effects;
• Important social, work or recreational activities given up because of alcohol use;
• Continued use of alcohol despite knowledge of problems caused or aggravated by use; and
• Denial.

Alcoholism is a chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors. The disease is often progressive and fatal.
Genetics play a large role in alcoholism. Scientists have found that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely for a person to develop alcoholism.
Certain environmental factors influence whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the disease. A person’s risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the person’s environment, family, friends, culture, peer pressure and even how easy it is to obtain alcohol.
If you feel someone you know may have a problem with alcohol, or you would like to talk with someone about your alcohol consumption, please call the Alcohol Drug Abuse Division at 303-639-9320. 
 

Return To Top