title: The alcoholic lung disease: historical background and clinical features.
abstract: The purpose of this review article is to prove the damage that alcohol causes to the respiratory system. We will make a brief review of alcohols history in the course of the centuries till nowadays. The problem of addiction to alcohol (alcoholism) will be examined for several countries. Alcohol's metabolism is another topic to be discussed parallel to its pharmacological action. In addition, alcohol's impact on the respiratory system varies from damaging the mucociliary system to the regulation of breathing and from the sleep apnea syndrome to diffusion disorders. "Alcoholic lung disease" constitutes a syndrome despite the fact that the damage of the lung due to concurrent smoking and drug use is often indistinguishable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pneumology, University Hospital of Patras, Rio, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Kiriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karkoulias
authors.forename: Haralampos
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsitsaras
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patouchas
authors.forename: Fotis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sampsonas
authors.forename: Dimostenis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Likouras
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaparianos
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiropoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D001633:Bible; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol