Alcohol is linked both to the incidence of disease and the course of disease. The impact
of alcohol consumption on disease and injury is associated with two separate but related
dimensions of drinking by individuals: the volume of alcohol consumed and the pattern
of drinking. More than 30 International Classifi cation of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes include
alcohol in their name or defi nition, indicating that alcohol consumption is a necessary
cause. Of these, alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are the most signifi cant (see Box 8).