That is a large decrease from a similar 1985 study, which estimated that 2 percent of women had used cocaine during the past month. In 40 percent of 1989 emergency room episodes involving female patients, the motive for using drugs was suicide, compared to 20 percent of male emergency room episodes. The impact of alcohol appears to be greater upon women than men. Abuse of prescribed tranquilizers is more frequent among women than men. In 1989, emergency room episodes resulting from Valium were 4.1 percent for females and 2.5 percent for males.
Women are more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage.
They develop liver disease in a shorter period of time and at lower levels of consumption. The number of alcoholic women who develop alcohol-related liver disease is higher than among alcoholic men. Repeated or sustained episodes of alcohol intoxication may suppress hormonal activity in women. Studies suggest that there is a higher prevalence of menstrual dysfunction and accelerated onset of menopause among alcoholic women. Other problems such as obstetrical disorders and gynecological surgery are also more common.