There are several medical and psychiatric complications from alcohol dependence. Clinical effects of alcohol dependence are summarized below. Alcohol dependence is the most common cause of cirrhosis of the liver, the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. Alcohol is also associated with other gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers, gastritis, and pancreatic cancer. Chronic alcohol dependence can produce severe damage to the peripheral and central nervous system.
Peripheral neuropathy is often responsible for the ataxia seen in chronic alcoholics.
Alcohol drinking suppresses neutrophil function and cell-mediated immunity. This predisposes alcoholics to serious infections including fatal cases of pneumonia and tuberculosis. Suppression of cell-mediated immunity may be responsible for the higher incidence of several types of cancers seen in alcoholics. Male alcoholics have increased estrogen and decreased testosterone. This leads to impotence, testicular atrophy and gynecomastia.