Alcohol and the Gastrointestinal Tract

Alcohol-related disorders account for an enormous part of the global mortality and morbidity, with most patients being treated in gastroenterology. For this book, a team of internationally renowned experts has contributed state-of-the-art reviews on alcohol-related epidemiology, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas as well as the question of how to guide alcoholics psychologically. The first paper evaluates epidemiological data on the impact of alcohol consumption on total morbidity and mortality. This is followed by a critical appraisal of the effect of moderate drinking on the risk and pathophysiological mechanisms of gastrointestinal diseases and of certain health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. An assessment of available animal models to explain the latest findings in basic alcohol research is followed by a discussion of the effects of alcohol on the various parts of the gastrointestinal system, with special emphasis on the pancreas and liver. Reviews of the well-known association between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer and a discussion on how best to care for alcoholics in view of the presented research advances conclude this volume. For those interested in alcohol-related epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, pathophysiology, clinical aspects and the treatment of alcohol-induced diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas, this publication contains a wealth of information.