Anaesthetic implications of acute and chronic alcohol abuse

Abstract

Alcohol has been a substance of abuse for centuries. The discovery of late Stone Age beer jugs has established the fact that purposely fermented beverages existed at least as early as c. 10,000 BC. It has been suggested that beer may have preceded bread as a staple food. Throughout history, alcohol has been praised for its innumerable medicinal qualities. In the Bible, it is mentioned 191 times. Current studies and meta-analyses are still promoting moderate use of alcohol for the potential beneficial effects, but some studies have shown the contrary, where the risks of alcohol consumption seem to outweigh these benefits.