ary calories consist of alcohol. This then causes a decrease in the breakdown of fatty acids by the liver. Alcoholic hepatitis often follows a severe or prolonged usage of heavy drinking and usually reversible with abstinence from alcohol. This disease causes the liver to become inflamed, damaging many liver cells, and metabolism becomes seriously disturbed. It can causes symptoms such as skin color disfiguration, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, mild fever, dark urine, and mild weight loss. (Florida) In some cases, alcoholic hepatitis precedes alcoholic cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious condition in which there is a major destruction of liver cells and scar-tissue builds-up in place of living cells. (Houghton, p.374) One out of every ten long-term heavy drinks will develop cirrhosis of the liver. This person will most likely die within five years because of the irreversible damaged that cirrhosis causes. (Florida) Liver cancer, too, is more common among heavy drinkers than among other people. (Houghton, p.374) Heavy amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Large intakes of alcohol are an important factor in causing high blood pressure and an enlargement of the heart. (Florida) The heart muscle is also weakened by the toxic effect of alcohol, which causes scar tissue to build up between the small fibers of the heart muscle. (Houghton, p. 374) Effects of heavy alcohol uses includes missed menstrual periods in women and diminishes sexual desire and possible sterility in men. A woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy risks the health of her unborn child. (Florida) According to Houghton Mifflin’s Health, studies have proven that if a pregnant woman has one to two drinks a day, there is a fourteen percent risk that her baby will be deformed. These are only a few consequences to heavy drinking, not to including alcoholism and its number of effects.In conclusio...
