What are common health effects of drinking too much?
Excessive drinking, including binge and heavy drinking, has numerous chronic (long-term) and acute (short-term) health effects. Chronic health consequences of excessive drinking can include liver cirrhosis (damage to liver cells); pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas); various cancers, including cancer of the liver, mouth, throat, larynx (the voice box), and esophagus; high blood pressure; and psychological disorders. Acute health consequences of excessive drinking can include motor vehicle injuries, falls, domestic violence, rape, and child abuse (Naimi, 2003).
