Alcohol and aging – An area of increasing concern

Alcohol use is increasing among adults 65 and older and the size of this population is expanding rapidly. Aging is associated with systemic inflammation, sleep disturbances, cancers, cognitive decline and increased risk of injury and death from falls and other accidents. Alcohol misuse exacerbates and accelerates these age-related changes. Older drinkers are more sensitive to acute alcohol-induced impairments in memory, coordination, reaction time and driving performance. Oxidative stress and DNA damage resulting from chronic heavy alcohol consumption contribute to an increased risk of cancer, liver disease and cardiovascular disease. Medication use increases with age and many medications prescribed to older adults can interact negatively with alcohol. Despite a lower prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in older drinkers, the rapid expansion of the population aged 65 and older could significantly increase the burden on the healthcare system resulting from AUD and alcohol-related injuries and diseases. Screening and brief intervention for hazardous alcohol use among older patients could substantially reduce the risk of harms from alcohol but currently is underutilized.