Health Effects of Heavy
Drinking
Because alcohol is a central nervous
system depressant, people who
consume large quantities of alcohol
frequently experience blackouts or
acute retrograde amnesia during periods
of intoxication (Schuckit, 2008).
Alcoholic-related amnestic episodes
are associated with the quantity and
frequency of drinking. Although
blackouts are not a sensitive indicator
of the risk for developing alcoholism,
they should be viewed as an
important warning sign of problem
drinking (Carroll, 2007; Schuckit,
2008). Blackouts may be frightening
enough to some people to increase
awareness that they are drinking too
much.
Alcohol intoxication affects every
organ in the body, and chronic
abuse of alcohol has deleterious
effects on all body systems (Keys,
2011). Hypertension,