FKLG 312:

#Blog 13:

Answer the following for a Blog Summary:

Select one of the following assignments for elucidation in a 15 minute address to a certain target group:

• You (as a pharmacist) are invited by the local high school to address all the teachers and learners on the topic “Alcohol, what really is its effect on my body”. Focus on the effects, “pleasant” as well as “unpleasant”, how many glasses are safe? How do I know when I am starting to develop a problem? What should I then do?  Throughout, keep the age of your target group (learners) in mind!

Alcohol, what does this really do to my body?

Alcohol reduces anxiety and has calming properties and therefore alcohol is often abused from a young age. According to SA's law, a person may not take in and manage more than 0,05g/dL of alcohol, which means that if you take in 2 drinks within 1 hour you are already on/over the limit. It takes the body about 1 hour (60 minutes) to metabolise 1 unit of alcohol.

By using alcohol it makes you less concerned with what is going on around you because you are relaxing. It is for this reason that many young people get into trouble, where their drinks are "spiked" and then they can't remember anything about what happened. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a huge risk if you are someone/ someone knows that uses a lot of alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome's seriously hyped degree depends on the duration and degree of alcohol use/misuse.

Symptoms can be experienced as quickly as 6 – 8 hours after stopping alcohol and getting better after 1-2 days. There are also out of cases where the withdrawal symptoms can lead to death and where it should be treated as soon as possible.

Alcohol use also causes central nervous system suppression and therefore acute overdoses can be as dangerous because respiratory and cardiovascular suppression results in and may lead to death.

Side effects associated with chronic alcohol use include, amongst others, the following:

• Develop toleration and dependence.
• Liver – absorption and lead to nutritional needs and increased risk for pancreatitis.
• Gastrointestinal effects – irritation, inflammation, bleeding and stomach wall damage.
• Endocrine and electrolyte imbalances – gynecomastia, testicides atrophy, endeem, and hypoglycaemia.
• Cardiovascular – hypertension, anaemia, heart attack.
• Immune system – reduced immunity leading to lung intuition and increase in appearance of skins other diseases and infections.
• It can also lead to cancer.

Tolerance = An increase of the original dose is required to bring about the same effects and usually occurs as a result of chronic drug use.

Dependency = Withdrawal syndrome occurs because there is persistent use of a certain drug and therefore body adapts to the persistent exposure.