‘Alcogenic society’: Australian hospitals see steep rise in severe alcohol-related disease

With alcohol-induced deaths at their highest rate in 10 years, one doctor says a quarter of his hospital's ICU resources are being used to treat the illness

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One quarter of intensive care resources in a major regional tertiary hospital have been used to treat critical illness directly related to alcohol consumption, a Queensland physician claims.

The intensive care physician told Guardian Australia he was alarmed at the steep rise in cases of severe, end-stage alcohol-related disease he has seen in just a couple of years" at the hospital.

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