Chronic Alcoholism and substance abuse

In a patient with chronic alcoholism, what causes the pitting edema seen in the lower extremities?

In a patient with chronic alcoholism, what nutritional deficiency would cause tingling and pain in the toes, tongue, and fingers in particular?

Alcohol abuse causes malnutrition because of the fibrosis of the liver leading to less metabolic efficiency, reduced GI absorption of nutrients because of pancreatic insufficiency. Damaged liver and kidney cells in turn produce defective metabolites which exacerbate the damage caused by the alcohol

Which of the following are true regarding chronic alcoholism?

In the liver, the kupffer cells detoxify the blood. The hepatocytes produce bile, store nutrients, phagocytose foreign matter, and make plasma proteins.

Alcohol can cause fibrosis of both the liver and pancreas. Alcohol can also cause premature atherosclerosis via elevated levels of the hormone homocysteine.

Smoking and drinking together are far worse than either on its own. This is especially true with regard to development of oropharyngeal cancers

Opioid narcotics are eliminated via bile. Cocaine's mechanism of action is to stimulate release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the central and peripheral nervous systems