Preventing the medical sequelae of alcohol abuse

Excessive alcohol use is responsible for a significant amount of medical harm in the Australian community. It is not appropriate to suggest that alcohol use should be eliminated but it is important that we take steps to minimise harm produced by intake of inappropriate amounts of this drug. Many alcohol related problems are irreversible once established and thus it is imperative that information be made available to the public and to health care workers to help minimise problems before they become permanently established. It is suggested that harm may be minimised by a number of strategies that include measures to: 1. Prevent the desire or need to drink excessively. 2. Prevent the ingestion of excessive amounts of alcohol. 3. Prevent the effects of excessive intake by protecting susceptible tissues. 4. Treating tissue damage early to prevent progressive injury. Early detection and intervention must play an increasing role in any attempt to minimise alcohol related problems.