Pelvis of kidney, transitional cell carcinoma, gross. Acute gastric ulcerations, gross. Hyaline membrane disease in the lung of a premature neonate, microscopic. The abuse of alcohol contributes to many deaths per year in the United States. One of the most common drug overdoses leading to death is ingestion of a large amount of alcohol.
Chronic alcoholism leads to liver disease.
Liver disease can be manifested as fatty change. Excessive alcohol ingestion for many years can lead to micronodular cirrhosis. A cirrhotic liver leads to portal hypertension and the complication of bleeding esophageal varices with massive, life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage. There is also an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma arising in a cirrhotic liver. In the brain, alcoholism can lead to Wernicke's disease.