What are the possible mechanisms in the occurrence of tolerance to chronic alcohol intake?

Tolerance can be due to many mechanisms such as:

• MEOS and CNS adjustments
• Increased metabolism rate
• Cross tolerance from other sedative-hypnotic drugs like BD’s
• Peripheral neuropathy – Neurological changes that are pathological of nature

What are the toxic effects of chronic alcohol use on the liver and hepatic metabolism?

• It leads to a progressive decrease in liver function, leading to symptoms of liver cirrhosis or hardening of the liver
• It also increases the microsomal enzymes
• It leads to the formation of salt retention oedema
• It can also cause hypoglycaemia
• It increases the chances of developing liver and other cancers

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and how is it treated?

• It is a condition that leads to the paralysis of your inner eye muscles, Ataxia and confusion in the patient. It is treated by giving Thiamine to prevent permanent damage and reduce the effects of this condition

What is foetal alcohol syndrome?

• Alcohol has teratogenic effects, which could cause the baby to be born with side effects like mental retardation, growth deficiencies, microcephaly (where the brain is smaller than average) and underdeveloped middle facial features.

What are the pharmacokinetic interactions of acute alcohol consumption differ from chronic consumption?

• Chronic consumption will lead to an increase in the patient’s liver enzymes which affects the metabolism of other drugs that are metabolised by liver enzymes

Name four interactions with alcohol where the pharmacologic effects of other drugs are potentiated.

• With the use of CNS suppressants like BD’s
• With the use of vasodilatory drugs
• Hypoglycemic drugs
• Anti-platelet drugs