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Alcohol dependence in women: Comorbidities can complicate treatment.

Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: Ms. F, a 53-year-old high school English teacher, is referred you by her family physician after she was suspended from work for suspected intoxication. She was divorced 2 years ago from her husband of 20 years, and she says her drinking has escalated 2 bottles of wine every night. She wants reduce her alcohol use but experiences shakiness, nausea, and diaphoresis when she tries cut back. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ms. F began drinking at age 16 to feel more comfortable in social situations and has experienced binge drinking with intermittent blackouts. She denies illicit drug use and legal consequences from drinking. Her father died from cirrhosis at age 58. Her mother suffers from depression but is in remission with medication. Ms. F is hesitant date or establish intimate relationships. She has stopped attending church, a book club, and her 15-year-old daughter's booster club activities. For years, little was known about alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in women such as Ms. F.(1) Alcohol dependence studies rarely included women, so findings and treatment outcomes observed in men were assumed apply both genders. Awareness of gender differences in addiction has grown (Box 1). (2-5) Biological and psychosocial differences between alcohol-dependent women and men now are understood influence etiology, epidemiology, psychiatric and medical comorbidity, course of illness, and treatment outcomes. This article discusses recent insights into planning treatment address specific needs of alcohol-dependent women. Box 1 Alcohol dependence in men and women: Gender gap narrows Epidemiologic surveys consistently show higher rates of alcohol use disorders in men than women, but recent data suggest a narrowing of the gender gap. Studies from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) from 1991 1992 and 2001 2002, found: * a significant increase in the 12-month prevalence of alcohol abuse among men (4.7% 6.9%) and women (1.5% 2.6%) * a significant decrease in alcohol dependence among men (6.3% 5.4%) but not women (from 2.6% 2.3%). * a significant increase in rate of alcohol dependence among African-American women age 18 29 (from 2.1% 3.8%). * the gender differential in alcohol dependence narrowed from 3.8% 3.1%. (2).(3) Similarly, studies conducted 60 years ago showed that boys were more likely than girls report first alcohol use between ages 10 and 14 (4:1 ratio). Now the age of first alcohol use is relatively equivalent in boys and girls. (3) This convergence is disconcerting and suggests that screening and prevention initiatives for adolescents need increase their focus on girls. Overall, these observations support the 'convergence hypothesis,' which holds that the gap between men's and women's alcohol consumption has narrowed as women's use of alcohol has increased. (4), (5) Accelerated consequences As a group, women may consume less alcohol than men but progress more rapidly alcohol-related illnesses and negative consequences. Specifically, alcohol-dependent women develop liver disease, hypertension, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage more rapidly than alcohol-dependent men. (3) Cognitive deficits and brain atrophy also develop sooner in alcohol-dependent women than men. (6) Causes of this accelerated progression--telescoping--include gender-specific biological differences: * Women have lower levels of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase--the enzyme that initiates alcohol metabolism--and therefore experience a higher blood alcohol concentration than men drinking the same amount of alcohol. * Women have less total body water and less capacity dilute alcohol than men. These factors lead higher alcohol concentration per drink delivered target organs via systemic circulation in women than men. …
Source: PubMed
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1532292751
FWCI: 0.182
Cites: 25
Cited by: 7
Related to: 10