ISCD study ranking the levels of damage caused by drugs, in the opinion of drug-harm experts. When harm to self and others is summed, alcohol was the most harmful of all drugs considered, scoring 72%. The<unk> -term effects of alcohol (more specifically ethanol)<unk>  range from a decrease in anxiety and motor skills and euphoria at lower doses to intoxication (drunkenness), stupor, unconsciousness, anterograde amnesia (memory "blackouts"), and central nervous system depression at higher doses. Cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol, so once alcohol is in the bloodstream, it can diffuse into nearly every cell in the body. The concentration of alcohol in blood is measured via blood alcohol content (BAC). The amount and circumstances of<unk>  play a large role in determining the extent of intoxication; for example, eating a heavy meal before alcohol<unk>  causes alcohol to absorb more slowly. The amount of alcohol consumed largely determines the extent of hangovers, although hydration also plays a role. After excessive drinking, stupor and unconsciousness can both occur. Extreme levels of<unk>  can cause alcohol poisoning and death; in fact, a concentration in the blood stream of 0.36% will kill half of those affected. Alcohol may also cause death indirectly by asphyxiation, caused from vomiting. Alcohol can greatly exacerbate sleep problems. During abstinence, residual disruptions in sleep regularity and sleep patterns are the greatest predictors of relapse.
Short-term effects of alcohol consumption
Long-term effects of alcohol
Long-term effects of cannabis
Impact of alcohol on aging
Effects of long-term benzodiazepine use
Antidepressants and suicide risk
Lifestyle causes of type 2 diabetes
Alcohol-related brain damage