Alcohol effects in the elderly.
Alcohol is a potent drug and must be included in the medication history of the patient. The physician must be alert to the possibility of alcohol abuse by the elderly, in whom typical clues may not be present. Alcohol has a greater dose-related effect in elderly persons because of their decreased total body water, which leads to persistently higher blood alcohol levels. Alcohol causes unique kinds of brain damage, a fact that may aggravate the clinical symptoms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, but there is no convincing proof of premature aging because of alcohol abuse. Alcohol potentiates the sedating effects of many drugs acting on the CNS. This is especially serious in elderly patients, and they should be cautioned concerning the use of alcohol and drugs.
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Division of Geriatric Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
D000368:Aged; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000437:Alcoholism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male