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Rise in the death rates among the British due to alcohol intake.

by Medindia Content Team on Jan 6 2006 10:47 AM

It is feared that people in Britain have increased the alcohol intake and liver cirrhosis is an important cause of death among British.

The deaths due to liver cirrhosis developed by drinking alcohol have doubled in Scotland. Pan- European comparison shows a sharp rise in the death rates due to liver cirrhosis.

In England and Wales the number of deaths due to drinking associated diseases have been on the rise.

In case of women there is also an increase about half the number of cases within the same time limit. This shows that the women have also become addicted to alcohol.

Statistics of England and Wales say that the exact number of increase in the deaths in 1980 due to alcohol related deaths was 2575 but in 2004 has risen to 6614. When the cause of deaths for all these patients were reviewed it was prominent that the deaths were due to liver damage especially cirrhosis.

When the death rates of England, Wales and Scotland all put together are compared with 12 other European countries it provided further proof to firmly establish the fact that the number of deaths due to alcohol consumption and liver cirrhosis are on the rise. Boozing is a major concern as it has speedened the death rates.

The problem is mainly with the people drinking more of beer and spirit rather than wine. Robin Room of Stockholm University tells that the fault lies on the government for giving official permit and license and encourage drinking.

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He says that the type and pattern of drinking is important in the development of alcohol related disorders. But what is more important is the total amount of alcohol consumed by the person. The government has not taken any steps and has fallen short in all its efforts to reduce the population’s alcohol intake. The government has also prevented intervening of the state government by the new alcohol licensing law.

Professor Leon and Dr McCambridge said that the though the causative agents of liver cirrhosis are many the main culprit is alcohol. World Health Organization database shows that in 1950s, England and Wales had very low rates of liver cirrhosis deaths 3.4 per 100,000 (men) each year and 2.2 (women). In Scotland 8.2 (men) 6.1 (women). But in 2001 England and Wales had 14.1(men) and 7.7(women). Scotland on the other hand had huge increase of death rate around 34.4 deaths (men) per 100,000 per year among and 16.1 for women.

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The increase in the death rates has to be taken care by the government. The government on the other hand said that they were also worried and has invested huge amounts of money and people related to alcohol problems.

The deaths due to alcohol consumption amounted to about 22000 every year and liver cirrhosis is just one part of the bad consequences of alcohol consumption. Alcohol is thought to cause 100 different types of condition harmful to man including impotence, psoriasis and heart disease. The new law only will result in worsening the already existing condition.

Measures to check and control alcohol consumption should be brought about by the government. Every hospital has to have an employee who will be responsible to help the patient fight against addition toward alcohol, drinking taxes should be elevated and proper warning labels should be stuck on the product there by facilitating the reduction in alcohol consumption.


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