Which term describes the condition that causes a person to feel sick after drinking due to a deficiency in aldehyde dehydrogenase?

Which term describes the condition that causes a person to feel sick after drinking due to a deficiency in aldehyde dehydrogenase?

• A. Alcohol flush syndrome
• B. aldehyde dehydrogenase
• C. Categories of substance use
• D. The treatment and recovery continuum of care

Answer: (A)

Alcohol flush syndrome describes the uncomfortable reaction some people experience after drinking alcohol, due to a deficiency of aldehyde dehydrogenase. Normally, this enzyme helps break down acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism. When aldehyde dehydrogenase is deficient, acetaldehyde accumulates, leading to facial flushing, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and other sick feelings after drinking. This buildup is what explains why drinking leads to feeling sick. The other options don’t fit: aldehyde dehydrogenase names the enzyme itself, not the reaction; categories of substance use refer to usage patterns rather than a physiological response; and the treatment and recovery continuum of care relates to care pathways, not a bodily reaction to alcohol.

Alcohol flush syndrome describes the uncomfortable reaction some people experience after drinking alcohol, due to a deficiency of aldehyde dehydrogenase. Normally, this enzyme helps break down acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism. When aldehyde dehydrogenase is deficient, acetaldehyde accumulates, leading to facial flushing, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and other sick feelings after drinking. This buildup is what explains why drinking leads to feeling sick. The other options don’t fit: aldehyde dehydrogenase names the enzyme itself, not the reaction; categories of substance use refer to usage patterns rather than a physiological response; and the treatment and recovery continuum of care relates to care pathways, not a bodily reaction to alcohol.