Alcohol Use Disorder and Critical Illness

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is an evolving disorder with increasing prevalence within society. As the overall prevalence increases, it is important to understand the downstream effects of excessive alcohol intake on the different organ systems to better manage patients impacted by AUD. Although AUD is a psychiatric disorder, the effects of alcohol can be seen throughout the entire body, leading to multi-organ involvement, especially in critically ill patients. The most common systems affected include the gastrointestinal and neurological systems; however, almost all major systems are eventually impacted. While alcohol use may not be directly responsible, it is able to amplify certain insults and propagate deleterious outcomes. Many complications have been found to be dose-dependent with a variable response to abstention.